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theological  Seminary, 

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■ •••  'I 

A PLEA  FOR  AFRICA,, 

SERMON 

PREACHED  OCTOBER  26,  1817, 

IN  THE  FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH 

IN  THE  CITY  OF  NEW-YORK, 

BEFORE  THE 

SYNOD  OF  NEW-YORK  AND  NEW-JERSEY, 

AT  THE  REQUEST  OF 

THE  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS 

OF 

THE  AFRICAN  SCHOOL 

ESTABLISHED  BT 

THE  SYNOD. 


BY  EDWARD  D.  GRIFFIN,  D.  D. 

PASTOR  OF  THE  SECOND  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH 
IN  NEWARK,  NEW-JERSEY. 

PUBLISHED  BY  REQUEST  OF  THE  BOARD. 


NEW-YORK  : 

GOULD,  PRINTER,  CHATHAM-ST. 


1817. 


4 


their  language  which  signify  to  burn  and  the  counte- 
fiance,*  and  means  burnt-face.  No  term  of  similar 
import  is  found  in  the  Hebrew  Bible.  There  the 
people  whom  the  l^XX.  called  or  Ethio- 

pians, are  uniformly  denominated  Cush  or  Cushites; 
and  this  was  the  name  by  which  they  were  known 
over  all  Asia  where  the  Greek  language  was  not 
spoken.  They  were  the  descendants  of  Cush,  the 
son  of  Ham,t  and  as  was  common  among  the  Asiat- 
ics, took  their  father’s  name.  They  settled  first  be- 
tween the  Euphrates  and  Tigris,  in  a region  which 
was  styled  die  country  of  the  Chusdim,  but  by  the 
western  nations  Chaldea,  and  in  Scripture,  some- 
times, the  land  of  Shinar.J  Here  Nimrod,  the  son 
of  Cush,  erected  the  first  kingdom. ||  At  an  early 
period  branches  of  the  same  family  spread  them- 
selves throughout  all  the  southern  parts  of  Arabia, 


*Ai5-t»  and  a'p.  Parkhursl's  Greek  Lexicon. 

I Gen.  X.  6.  f Rees^  Cyclopadia,  under  Cush. 

II  Gen.  X.  8 — 10. — It  is  thought  that  a part  of  the  family 
crossed  the  Tigris  and  took  possession  of  Susiana,  which  is 
still  called  Kuzestan  or  Chusistan,  the  land  of  Chus  or  Cush. 
(Rees  under  Cush.)  Brown,  who  is  of  this  opinion,  believes 
that  the  Cuthites  who  were  transplanted  into  Samaria  were 
descendants  of  Cush,  and  that  the  Cuthah  from  which  they 
came,  (2  Kings,  xvii.  24.)  was  no  other  than  Susiana.  (Brown's 
Dictionary  of  the  Bible,  under  Cush.)  Calmet  believes  that  a 
colony  of  Cushites  settled  in  the  northern  part  of  Assyria,  on 
the  Araxes,  (the  present  Aras,  Araz,  or  Arash,)  a river  which 
rises  near  the  source  of  Euphrates  and  fahs  into  the  Caspian 
Sea  ; and  he  supposes  that  this  province  was  the  Cuthah  men- 
tioned above.  (Cedmet's  Dictionary  of  the^  Bible,  under  Cush, 
Cuthah,  Cuthites,  and  Araxes.) 


5 


from  Euphrates  and  the  Persian  Gulph  to  the  Red 
Sea,  and  even  to  the  border  of  Egypt.  Accord- 
ingly by  Cush  is  frequently  in  Scripture  meant  some 
country  or  people  in  Asia.  In  the  time  of  Moses  a 
country  was  called  by  this  name  which  had  been 
washed  by  one  of  the  rivers  of  Eden.*  The  Arabi- 
an whom  he  himself  married  was  a Cushlte.f  The 
Midian  from  which  she  sprung  was  comprehended 
in  Cushan  or  the  land  of  Cusli.J  Egypt  is  described 
as  extending  “ from  the  tower  of  Syene,”  (which 
stood  on  the  southern  extremity.)  “ even  unto  the 
border  ofCush.”f|  The  Arabians  who  dwelt  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  Philistines,  “were  near  the 
Cushites.”^  Accordingly  ancient  authors  frequent- 
ly applied  the  name  of  Ethiopia  to  Arabia,  as  they 
did  also  to  Chaldea,  and  even  to  Assyria  and  Persla,1[ 

*Gen.  ii.  13.  t.A'um.  xii.  1.  f //at.  iii.  7.  || xxix.  10. 

§ 2 Ctro7i.  xxi.  16.  See  also  Job  xwiii.  19.  On  the  latter 
Calmet  remarks,  “ Job  speaks  of  the  topaz  of  Cush  : now  the 
topaz  is  found  only  in  an  island  of  the  Red  Sea  near  Arabia.” 
(JDi’ct.  of  Bib.  under  Chus.) 

IT  Rees  under  Ethiopia. If,  as  Calmet  says,  the  Cushites 

peopled  a northern  province  of  Assyria  and  called  it  Cuthah, 
it  is  no  wonder  that  the  Greeks  applied  the  name  of  Ethiopia 
to  a part  of  Assyria,  and  sometimes  to  Assyria  indefinitely. 
And  when  it  is  considered  that  they  gave  the  same  name  to 
all  the  country  washed  by  the  southern  or  Indian  ocean,  and 
of  course  to  that  lying  on  the  Persian  Gulph,  it  is  no  wonder 
that  they  sometimes  applied  it  to  Persia.  Strabo  maintains 
that  the  ancients  gave  this  name  to  the  whole  southern  sea- 
coast  of  Asia  and  Africa  from  the  rising  to  the  setting  sun.  He 
tells  us  that  some  had  divided  the  world  into  four  parts,  as- 
signing the  north  to  the  Scythians,  the  east  to  the  Indians,  the 


6 


thougli  the  two  latter  are  plainly  distinguished  from 
Cush  in  the  Scriptures.* 

In  process  of  time  a colony  of  Cushites  crossed 
the  Red  Sea  and  settled  in  that  tract  of  Africa  which 
lies  on  the  south  of  Egypt,  which  has  since  been 
called  Ethiopia  proper.t  Eusebius  says  that  this 
migration  took  place  in  the  days  of  Moses. J Jose- 
phus asserts  that  these  Ethiopians  were  descend- 
ants of  Cush,  and  that  in  his  time  they  were  still 
called  Cushites  by  themselves  and  by  all  the  inha- 
bitants of  Asia.||  To  this  country  the  following  pas- 

south  to  the  Ethiopians,  and  the  west  to  the  Celts  ; and  that 
they  had  a saying  that  Ethiopia  was  greater  than  Scythia.  (Stra- 
bo's Geography,  p.  21 — 24.) 

* Isai.  xi.  11. 

t Bibliotheca  of  Ravanellus,  under  Cush.  Broum  under  Cush. 
Supplement  to  Calinet's  Dictionary  of  the  Bible,  p.  27.  Charles- 
town Ed. According  to  Bruce,  who  travelled  in  Africa,  the 

Abyssinians  have  among  them  a tradition,  handed  down  from 
time  immemorial,  not  only  that  Cush  was  their  father,  but 
that  he  actually  settled  in  that  country,  (/fees  under  Cush.) 
Rollin  incautiously  says  that  he  settled  there.  (Jlncient  History, 
vol.  1.  p.  146.  Hartford  Ed.)  Homer  divides  the  Ethiopians 
into  two  parts,  and  Strabo  maintains  at  large  that  the  division 
line  to  which  he  alluded  was  the  Red  Sea.  (Strabo's  Geogra- 
phy, p.  21—24.) 

J Brown  has  followed  this  opinion,  and  thinks  the  time  might 
be  about  2470  A.  M.  which  fell  in  the  early  part  of  Moses’  life. 
(Brown  under  Cush.)  But  Josephus  represents  the  Ethiopians 
as  established  on  the  ground  in  Moses’  day,  and  gives  an  ac- 
count, which  is  generally  considered  fabulous,  of  the  wars 
which  he  conducted  against  them.  (Antiq.  of  the  Jews,  B.  i. 
Chap.  vi.  Sec.  2.  TVhiston's  Translation.) 

P Antiq,  of  the  Jews,  B.  i.  Chap.  6. 


7 


sages  seem  plainly  to  refer.  “ Wo  to  the  land  sha- 
dowing with  wings,  which  is  beyond  the  rivers  of 
Cush.”  “ From  beyond  the  rivers  of  Cush  my  sup- 
plicants, even  the  daughter  of  my  dispersed,  shall 
bring  my  offering.”  “Ahasuerus — reigned  from  In- 
dia even  unto  Cush.”  “ Can  the  Cushite  change  his 
skin,  or  the  leopard  his  spots  ?”*  This  would  hard- 
ly have  been  said  of  the  inhabitants  of  Chaldea  or 
Arabia,  judging  from  the  present  complexion  of  their 
successors.  In  those  numerous  instances  in  which 
Cush  is  coupled  with  Egypt,  the  African  Ethiopia  is 
generally  understood  to  be  meant.  One  of  these 
instances  occurs  in  the  text : “ Princes  shall  come 

out  of  Egypt;  Ethiopia  shall  soon  stretch  out  her 
hands  unto  God.” 

The  Cushites  in  Asia  became  gradually  lost  in 
other  names  and  nations,  while  the  African  branch, 
remaining  pure,  and  becoming  powerful,  by  degrees 
engrossed  the  appellation,  and  for  many  centuries 
have  stood  forth  the  chief  representatives  of  the 
Cushite  or  Ethiopic  race.f  This  then  is  the  branch 
to  which  a prophecy  to  be  fulfilled  in  Gospel  days 


* Esth.  i.  1.  and  viii.  9.  Isat.  xviii.  1.  /er.  xiii.  23.  Zcph.  iii. 
10. — Brown  insists  that  these  and  other  passages  ought  to  be 
applied  to  the  African  branch.  {Under  Cush.)  On  the  pro- 
priety of  this  application  of  Isai.  xviii.  1.  see  Calmet’s  Diet, 
of  the  Bible,  vol.  3.  p.  409 — 420. 

t la  the  days  of  Strabo  and  Josephus,  both  of  whom  were 
contemporary  with  the  Ethiopian  eunuch  mentioned  Acts  viii. 
26,  the  name  was  confined  to  the  African  region,  and  had  been 
so  restricted  for  a long  time.  (Strabo's  Geog.  p.  21 — 24.  An' 
(iq,  of  the  Jens,  B.  i.  Chap.  6.) 


8 


ought  to  be  referred.  And  to  them  it  has  been  re- 
ferred by  the  great  body  of  the  Christian  Church. 
It  was  considered  by  the  fathers  as  incipiently  fulfil- 
led in  the  conversion  of  the  Ethiopian  eunuch,  and 
the  introduction  of  Christianity  into  Nubia  and  Abys- 
sinia.* But  it  would  be  contrary  to  all  analogy  to 
limit  a general  prediction  of  Gospel  blessings  to  the 
first  age.  Prophetic  annunciations  of  what  Christ 
was  to  achieve  for  particular  nations  and  for  the 
world  at  large,  though  primarily  fulfilled  in  the  com- 
mencement of  the  Christian  era,  looked  forward  to 
a more  glorious  accomplishment  under  his  trium- 
phant reign  on  earth.  This  could  be  shown  in  a 
thousand  Instances  ; and  that  no  exception  is  to  be 
made  against  the  descendants  of  Cush,  is  plain 
from  the  descriptions  which  are  given  of  the  univer- 
sality of  Messiah’s  kingdom. 

II.  The  next  question  is,  how  far  the  African  Cush 
or  Ethiopia  is  to  be  considered  in  the  text  as  the  re- 
presentative of  the  great  negro  world.  On  this  point 
I observe, 

(1 .)  There  is  reason  to  believe  that  the  mass  of  the 
negroes  in  Africa  are  really  of  this  stock.  Africa  was 
certainly  peopled  by  three  of  the  four  sons  of  Ham. 
Canaan,  you  know,  settled  in  Asia,  in  the  country 
which  was  afterwards  possessed  by  Israel.t  Most 
of  his  posterity  became  extinct.  Some  of  them  how- 
ever, it  is  thought,  fled  from  Joshua  to  the  north  of 
Africa,  a part  of  whom,  it  is  supposed,  settled  near 
where  Tunis  now  stands.  On  that  spot,  550  years 

* EuicbiiOi'  Ecdesiffsticnl  Hist.  B.  ii.  Cltajp.  1.  t Gen.  x.  15 — 10- 


9 


afterwards,  a colony  of Canaanites  from  Tyre,  under 
the  direction  of  Dido,  founded  Carthage,  which  in 
time  extended  her  dominion  over  what  are  now  the 
Barbary  States,  and  disputed  even  with  Rome  the 
empire  of  the  world.*  With  these  few  exceptions 
the  posterity  of  Canaan  never  entered  Africa.  Of  the 
other  three  sons  of  Ham,  Mizraim  settled  in  Egypt, 
which  in  the  Hebrew  Scriptures  is  generally  called 
after  his  name.  His  posterity,  under  the  name  of 
Philistines,  (from  his  grandson  Philistim,t)  Lubims 
or  Libyans,  (from  his  son  Lehabim,]:)  and  Ludim  or 
Lud,  (from  his  son  Ludim,:];)  spread  themselves  along 
the  sea  coast,  of  Syria  on  the  east,  and  of  Libya  on 
the  west  of  Egypt.  Phut  peopled  the  country  now 
occupied  by  the  Barbary  powers.||  Cush,  as  has 
been  observed,  settled  himself  in  Asia,  but  a strong 
colony  of  his  descendants  afterwards  took  possessioii 
of  the  country  on  the  south  of  Egypt,  since  called 
Ethiopia  proper. 

Thus  the  children  of  Mizraim  and  Phut  occupied 
all  the  north  coast  of  Africa.  And  here  they  were 
in  a measure  shut  in.  On  the  south  of  Egypt  lay 
the  Cushites,  who  presented  a barrier  to  all  emigra- 
tion in  that  direction.  On  the  west  of  Egypt,  stretch- 
ing away  to  the  south,  lay  the  immense  Libyan  de- 
sert. West  of  that  commenced  the  great  desert  of 
Saara,  which  extended  across  the  continent  to  the  * 
Atlantic  ocean,  a distance  of  1600  miles,  separating 
the  whole  country  of  Phut  from  the  body  of  Africa 
by  an  ocean  of  sand  800  miles  in  breadth.  Ages 

* Rees  under  Carthage,  t Gc'/i- x.  14.  13.  ||jVoJe  A, 

-B 


10 


would  probably  pass  away  before  human  feet  would 
cross  that  almost  impassable  barrier.  The  only  high- 
way to  the  south  was  blocked  up  by  the  Cushites, 
who  themselves  had  nothing  to  prevent  them  from 
spreading  into  all  the  regions  now  occupied  by  the 
negro  race.  This  family,  as  it  was  the  oldest,  ap- 
pears to  have  been  the  most  numerous  of  the  four  : 
and  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  they  extended 
their  settlements  to  Mozambique  and  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  on  the  south,  and  to  Congo  and  the 
Senegal  on  the  west.  They  are  said  to  have  “ tra- 
versed a great  part  of  Africa  and  it  is  certain  that 
almost  the  whole  country  south  of  the  desert  took 
the  name  of  Ethiopia.f 

To  those  who  ascribe  the  negro  complexion  and 
features,  not  to  climate,  but  to  native  variety  at  first, 
perpetuated  by  intermarriages  among  the  same 
race,J  it  will  appear  still  more  probable  that  the  ne- 
groes all  descended  from  Cush ; for  this  prevents 
the  necessity  of  supposing  a greater  number  of  these 
anomalies  or  sports  of  nature.  The  Cushites,  we 
know,  w^ere  black  in  the  days  of  Jeremiah,||  and  if 
wc  arc  to  credit  the  Arabian  testimonies,  many  ages 
before.§  And  I know  of  no  evidence,  except  some 
disputed  assertions  respecting  the  Egyptians,  that 
any  other  branch  of  Ham’s  posterity  were  of  this 
complexion.il 

* Rees  under  Cush.  f Rees  under  Ethiopia. 

I .Tust  as  a part  of  the  same  brood  are  white  and  the  rest 
black,  and  each  sort  may  be  perpetuated,  as  naturalists  tell  us, 
by  pairing  together  those  of  the  same  colour. 

II  Jer.  xiii.  23.  § Biog.  Diet,  under  Lohnan.  If  JVote  B. 


11 


(2.)  But  whether  the  Cushites  comprehend  the 
entire  ne<rro  world  or  not,  they  may  fairly  be  consid- 
ered as  put  for  the  representatives  of  the  whole. 
The  Jewish  prophets  were  acquainted  with  no  na- 
tion of  Africa  except  those  which  lay  on  the  Medi- 
terranean and  Red  seas.  With  a single  exception, 
which  when  explained  is  no  exception,*  those  which 
have  been  enumerated  appear  to  be  the  only  nations 
of  Africa  mentioned  in  the  Old  Testament.  None 
of  these  are  known  to  have  been  neo-roes  but  the 

O 

Cushites.  These,  next  to  the  Egyptians,  were  the 
most  conspicuous  portion  of  the  African  population. 
While  the  northern  tribes  were  separated  from  the 
rest  of  Africa  by  the  great  desert,  this  immense  na- 
tion of  negroes  presented  themselves  to  view  on  the 
shores  of  the  Red  Sea,  and  hid  their  extended  ranks 
in  unknown  regions  to  the  south  and  west.  They 
stood  there  the  face  of  the  whole  negro  world.  And 
it  was  the  manner  of  the  prophets,  as  might  be  shown 
in  numerous  Instances,  to  select  a nation  which  stood 
in  their  eye  for  the  representative  of  all  the  nations 
beyond  it.  I hear  then  our  text  declare,  that  under 
the  reign  of  Christ  the  whole  negro  race  shall  be  con- 
verted to  the  true  worship  of  God.  But  where  is  this 
race  to  be  found  ? Not  in  Africa  alone ; they  are 
scattered  in  the  four  quarters  of  the  globe.  Let  us, 

* I allude  to  the  Sukkiims,  who  as  they  came  “ out  of  Egypt” 
with  the  Egyptians,  Lubiras,  and  Cushites,  against  Rehoboam, 
(2  Oiron.  xii.  3.)  were  probably  a tribe  of  Libya,  and  descen- 
dants of  Mizraim,  unless,  as  some  suppose,  they  lived  in  Ara- 
bia near  the  entrance  of  Egypt. 


12 


ill.  Attempt  to  collect  them  together  into  one 
Held  of  vision. 

It  is  asserted  that  the  Cushites  early  “ obtained 
footing  in  India,”  and  “ occupied  various  parts”  of 
that  country,  and  even  penetrated  “ into  China  and 
Japan.”*  And  it  is  affirmed  that  the  present  inhabi- 
tants of  the  mountains  in  different  parts  of  India, 
“ have  almost  the  same  colour,  form,  and  species  of 
hair”  as  the  Africans,  and  “ that  the  most  ancient 
statues  of  Indian  divinities”  represent  “ the  figure  of 
negroes.”  “ These  considerations,”  says  the  cele- 
brated Gregoire,  “give  support  to  the  opinion  that 
this  race  formerly  bore  sway  over  almost  all  Asia.”f 
Remains  of  them,  at  least  of  a similar  people,  are 
still  to  be  found  in  many  islands  in  the  Indian  and 
Pacific  oceans,  scattered  through  the  space  from 
China  to  New-Holland.  In  some  islands  they  have 
been  driven  to  the  mountains  by  the  more  recent 
Malay  race ; in  others,  including  some  of  vast  ex- 
tent, they  still  possess  the  whole  soil.  In  some  the 
characteristics  of  the  negro  form  are  entire  and 
strongly  marked,  in  others  a little  less  Intense,  but 
in  ah  sufficiently  distinct  to  class  them  with  this 
race.;|:  Whether  these  are  descendants  of  transport- 
ed Africans,  or  of  the  Cushites  of  India,  I shall  not 
undertake  to  determine. 

But  Africa  itself  has  been  spoiled  and  scattered 
by  many  nations  from  a very  early  period.  It  has 
been  asserted,  though  not  on  authority  absolutely 
decisive,  that  Ethiopian  slaves  were  sold  to  the  He- 


* Rees  under  Cush,  'f  Gregoire,  p.  17,  18.  f .7Vo?e  C. 


13 


brews  as  early  as  the  days  of  David.*  Josephus 
supposed,  but  incorrectly,  that  the  fleet  of  Solomon 
brought  home  Ethiopians  in  its  return  from  Ophlr.t 

* Biog.  Diet,  and  Rees  under  Lokman.  Greg.  p.  19,  20. 
t “ The  king  had  many  ships  which  lay  upon  the  sea  of  T ar- 
ms : these  he  commanded  to  carry  out  all  sorts  of  merchan- 
dise unto  the  remotest  nations,  by  the  sale  of  which  silver  and 
gold  were  brought  to  the  king,  and  a great  quantity  of  ivory, 
and  Ethiopians,  and  apes  : and  they  finished  their  voyage,  going 
and  returning,  in  three  years’  time.”  (Jlntiq.  B.  viii.  Chap.  7. 
Sect.  2.)  When  this  sentence  was  penned  the  historian  had 
his  eye  oh  1 Kings,  x.  22.  and  the  parallel  passage  in  2 Chron. 
ix.  21.  In  our 'translation  the  former  stands  thus  : “ The  king 
had  at  sea  a navy  of  Tarshish  with  the  navy  of  Hiram.  Once 
in  three  years  came  the  navy  of  Tarshish  bringing  gold  and 
silver,  ivory,  apes,  and  peacocks.”  The  enumeration  in  both 
cases  is  the  same  except  in  a single  article.  The  Hebrew  word 
which  Josephus  rendered  Ethiopians,  our  translators  render 
peacocks,  and  in  the  margin,  parrots.  The  word  in  1 Kings, 
X.  22.  is  and  in  2 Chron.  ix.  21.  it  is 

the  name  of  something  imported  from  abroad,  it  is  supposed 
to  be  a foreign  word ; and  it  is  found  no  where  but  in  these 
two  passages.  (^Taylor's  Hebrew  Concordance  under 
Parkhurst's  Hebrew  Lexicon  under  in.)  As  this  single  word 
was  manifestly  Josephus’  sole  authority,  the  only  question  is, 
what  is  its  meaning  ? The  LXX,  according  to  the  Alexandrian 
MS.  (as  Parkhurst  informs  us,)  render  it  raaivav,  peacocks. 
The  Vulgate,  says  the  same  author,  renders  it  in  both  passa- 
ges pavos,  peacocks  ; and  so,  I add,  does  Montanus.  Taylor 
in  both  places  renders  it  pavones,  which  means  the  same.  So 
do  Tremellius  and  Junius;  but  they  add  in  the  margin  to 
1 Kings,  X.  22.  “ vel  psitacos,”  or  parrots.  Parkhurst  renders 
it  peacocks,  and  so,  as  Taylor  tells  us,  does  Bochart.  But 
whatever  is  its  meaning  the  word  is  not  D’triD  or 
Ethiopians.  If  it  is  a national  name  it  should  be  rendered  Te- 
kiims  ov  Tukiims.  That  there  ever  was  a tribe  of  Ethiopians 


14 


Will  taker  pretends  that  the  Arabians  from  time  im- 
memorial purchased  slaves  even  on  the  coast  of 
Guinea.  In  every  part  of  middle  and  southern  Afri- 
ca, the  natives  have  made  slaves  of  their  brethren 
taken  in  war  from  our  earliest  acquaintance  with  the 
country.  F or  many  ages  they  have  been  brought 
from  the  interior  and  sold  in  Egypt  and  on  the  Bar- 
bary coast.  The  Alexandrians  were  early  employ- 
ed in  the  commerce  of  negroes.  The  Greeks  had 
negro  slaves.*  The  Romans  too  had  slaves.  But 
the  northern  nations  who  subverted  the  Roman  em- 
pire abolished  slavery.  In  the  fourteenth  century 
the  Portuguese  began  to  make  descents  upon  Africa 
and  to  kidnap  the  natives.  This  piratical  example 
was  followed  by  most  of  the  maritime  powers  of  Eu- 
rope.f  Since  then  a great  many  of  the  wretched 
negroes  have  been  transported  to  Persia,  to  Goa,  and 
other  parts  of  the  East  Indies  to  Macassar,  Bata- 
via, and  other  Dutch  colonies.||  Negro  slaves  are 
found  in  Malacca  and  Manilla.^  Great  numbers 
have  been  carried  from  Madagascar  and  Mozam- 
bique to  the  isles  of  France  and  Bourbon.  The  po- 
pulation of  the  latter  island,  which  contains  150,000 
inhabitants,  mostly  consists  of  negro  slaves.!! 

thus  denominated,  I know  not  that  we  have  any  evidence.  If 
there  was  not,  it  is  difficult  to  account  for  this  mistake  of  Jose- 
phus but  by  supposing  an  errourof  transcribers,  either  in  the 
Hebrew  MS.  which  he  used,  or  in  the  passage  ivhich  he  wrote. 

* Gregoire  p.  19,  20.  t Clarkson  on  the  Slavery  and  Com- 
merce  of  the  Human  Species,  p.  42,  43.  Philadelphia  Ed.  J Rees. 
II  Christian  Observer,  vol.  13,  p.  851.  Boston  Ed.  Greg.  p.  51. 
§ Id.  p.  130.  H Panoplist  vol.  xi.  p.  322. 


15 


Some  have  been  sent  to  Constantinople.*  So  late 
as  the  year  1814,  slaves  were  still  brought  from  the 
interior  to  the  north  of  Africa,  and  thence  conveyed 
to  the  islands  and  opposite  continent  of  Europe.t 
They  have  been  sent  to  work  in  the  mines  of  Mexi- 
co and  Peru.J  Forty  thousand  negro  slaves  are 
found  in  Demarara  and  Essequebo;||  a considerable 
number  in  other  parts  of  Dutch  Guiana,§  and  Ln 
almost  every  district  of  South  America.1I  But  the 
great  receptacles  of  this  unhappy  race  have  been 
the  West  Indies  and — the  United  States ! In  our  own 
free  country  a million  and  a half  are  supposed  to  ex- 
ist! In  the  West  Indies  probably  two  millions.** 

“ It  is  calculated  that  Africa  has  been  drained  an- 
nually of  no  less  than  150,000  of  its  natives.”tt  What 
prodigious  arrears  are  due  to  that  ill-fated  country ! 
What  an  immense  labour  to  collect  together  into  the 
Christian  Church  all  her  scattered  sons  ! But, 

IV.  Against  this  attempt  it  is  objected,  that  the 
negroes  are  doomed  by  the  sentence  of  Noah  to  per- 
petual slavery,  and  are  so  inferior  by  nature  to  the 
rest  of  mankind  as  to  afford  no  encouragement  to 
any  exertions  in  their  favour.  ‘Barre  St.  Venant’ 
gravely  ‘ assures  us,  “ that  the  negroes.  Incapable 
of  advancing  a single  step  towards  civilization,  will 
be  after  20,000  centuries,  what  they  were  20,000 
centuries  ago,”  the  disgrace  and  misfortune  of  the 
human  race.’|j!  The  cranium  or  skull,  too,  of  the 


* Rees.  ^ Christ.  Ob.Vol.  \ni.  Tp.  853.  ^Rees.  ||  JWbrse’s  Gco^. 

raphy.  ^ Id.  ^ JVote  D.  **  J^oteE.  Rees.  j|  1S2. 


16 


negro  has  been  examined,  to  prove  that  it  recedes 
from  the  human  species  towards  that  of  the  ape. 

Now  all  this  is  sufficiently  cruel.  As  to  the  sen- 
tence of  Noah,  what  has  Africa  to  do  Avith  that  ? 
It  altogether  fell  on  Canaan,  whose  descendants  we 
have  seen,  (except  a few  who  fled  to  the  Barbary 
coast,  not  to  the  negro  region,)  never  entered  Afri- 
ca. “ Cursed  be  Canaan : a servant  of  servants  shall 
he  be  unto  his  brethren. — Blessed  be  the  Lord  God 
of  Shem,  and  Canaan  shall  be  his  servant.  God  shall 
enlarge  Japheth,  and  he  shall  dwell  in  the  tents  of 
Shem,  and  Canaan  shall  be  his  servant.”*  This 
was  recorded  while  Israel  were  on  their  way  to  the 
land  of  Canaan,  and  on  purpose  to  encourage  them 
to  take  possession  of  the  country ; and  it  was  fulfil- 
led, partly  when  the  remains  of  the  Canaanites  be- 
came servants  to  those  who  had  been  servants  in 
Egypt,  and  ultimately,  (so  far  as  the  present  sub- 
ject is  concerned,)  when  Tyre  and  Sidon,  and  all 
the  residue  of  the  Canaanites  in  Syria  were  conquer- 
ed by  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  the  descendants  of 
Japheth,  and  when  Carthage  herself  submitted  to 
the  Roman  sway.  But  what  has  this  to  do  with  the 
negro  race  ? Or  if  we  expand  the  curse  so  as  to 
cover  all  the  posterity  of  Ham,  must  it  necessarily 
last  forever  Could  it  not  be  repealed  by  Him 
Avho  came  to  relieve  all  woes  and  to  reverse  all  ana- 
themas ? Must  so  large  a portion  of  the  human  race 
still  sink  under  the  wrath  of  God  amidst  the  splen- 
dours of  His  reign  to  whom  all  nations  are  promised  ? 


* Gen.  ix.  25—27. 


17 


As  to  the  alleged  inferiority  of  their  nature,  I 
remark, 

(1.)  The  early  history  of  the  Cushites  does  not 
warrant  the  idea  of  any  original  deficiency  of"  intel- 
lect. For  a thousand  years  they  were,  except  la 
the  matter  of  religion,  the  most  elevated  and  distln- 
guished  race  on  earth.  Among  them  “ the  first 
kingdom  upon  earth  was  formed,  and  the  most  ear- 
ly police  instituted.”*  They  were  the  astronomers 
anJ  literati  of  Chaldea,  the  first  abode  of  the  arts 
and  sciences ; and  the  colonies  which  they  sent  forth 
enlightened  other  countries.  Wherever  they  went 
they  were  superior  to  the  natives,  and  carried  know- 
ledge and  the  arts  with  them.  “All  the  Cushite  fa- 
mily were  renowned  for  their  wisdom,”  and  “ were 
in  all  places  celebrated  for  science.”  A colony  of 
them,  under  the  name  of  royal  shepherds,  in\aded 
and  conq  lered  Egypt,  and  held  it  in  subjection  near 
three  centuries. t They  found  the  children  of  Miz- 

* Gen.  X.  8-10-  Rees  under  Cush. 

t The  time  of  this  invasion  is  fixed  hy  archbishop  Usher,  (in 
which,  as  in  other  parts  of  his  chronology,  he  is  followed  by 
Rollin,)  at  1920  A.  iVI.  which  is  computed  to  be  “ 88  years  be- 
fore the  birth  of  Abraham  by  bishop  Cumberland,  at  1937 
A M.  by  Bryant,  not  long  before  2038  A.  iM.  at  which  time 
Abraham  was  about  .30  years  old.  Rollin  and  Bryant  both  say 
that  they  held  possession  280  years.  Acconling  to  all  these 
accounts  they  were  in  power  when  Abraham  visited  Egypt, 
but  were  expelled  before  Jacob  arrived  in  2298  A.  M.  Accord- 
ing to  Rollin  they  were  banished  in  the  year  2180  A.  M.  in  the 
davs  of  Isaac  : according  to  Bryant  they  were  ejected  not  1 ong 
before  Jacob's  arrival,  and  he  wa«  permitted  to  dwell  in  Cushan, 
fGoshen,)  which  they  had  deserted.  Manetho  mentions  tw© 

c 


18 


raira  barbarous,  and  Imparted  to  them  their  scleneej 
their  mythology,  and  their  religious  rites.  From  them 
originally  came  “ all  the  wisdom  of  the  Egyptians.” 
When  banished  from  Egypt  some  of  them  fled  to  Sy- 
ria, where,  under  the  name  of  Cadmians,  Phenlcians, 
and  the  like,  they  kindled  up  the  light  of  science, 
and  thence  introduced  letters  into  Greece.*  They 
originated  the  worship  of  departed  heroes,  and  were 
the  first  authors  of  all  that  machinery  of  gods  and 
goddesses,  which,  with  many  new  additions  and  mo- 
difications, has  come  down  to  us  in  classic  story .f 

colonies  of  shepherds  who  came  to  Egypt,  and  expressly  af- 
firms that  the  latter,  who  were  enslaved,  were  suffered  to 
dwell  in  the  place  from  which  the  other  had  been  banished. 
All  this  was  probably  before  the  Cushites  took  possession  of 
Ethiopia.  (^RolUn's  Ancient  Hist.  Vol.  i.  p.  147.  Rees  under 
.^uritw,  Cush,  Dispersion  of  Mankind,  Egypt,  and  Shepherds.) 

* It  is  added  that  these  emigrants  founded  many  cities  in  Syria 
and  Phenicia,  which  country  was  hence  called  Ethiopia  ; that 
they  settled  in  different  parts  of  the  Pontic  region,  on  the  south 
shore  of  the  Black  Sea  ; at  Colchis,  the  present  Mingrelia,  at 
the  east  end  of  that  sea,  which  likewise  was  called  Ethiopia,  as 
•were  also  Euhcea  and  Sarnothrace,  two  islands  in  the  Grecian 
archipelago  ; in  Hellas,  the  central  part  of  Thessaly  in  Greece  ; 
in  Sicily,  ofAvhich  they  are  thought  to  have  been  the  first  in 
habitants;  in  Etruria,  the  present  Tuscany  in  Italy,  but  more 
extensive  ; in  Iberia,  the  eastern,  or  perhaps  north-eastern 
part  of  Spain  ; upon  the  river  Boetis,  Avhere  Cadiz  now  stands  ; 
and  on  the  opposite  coast  of  Morocco,  near  the  Atlantic.  (Rees 
under  Cush.)  The  name  of  Ethiopia,  given  to  the  places  where 
these  emigrants  settled,  is  a new  proof  that  the  shepherds  of 
Egypt  were  Cushites. 

t Homer  “ travelled  into  Egypt,  from  whence  he  brought  in- 
to Greece  the  names  of  their  gods,  and  the  chief  ceremonies 
of  their  worship.”  {Biog.  Diet,  under  Homer.)  Bryant  thinks 


19 


“ They  also  occupied  various  parts  of  India ; and  the 
same  people  who  imported  their  religious  rites  and 
science  into  Egypt,  carried  the  same  to  the  Indus 
and  Ganges,  and  still  further  into  China  and  Japan.”* 
This  is  tlie  people  whose  posterity  have  been  denied 

that  the  disappointment  of  the  Cushites  at  the  tower  of  Babel, 
their  subsequent  expulsion  from  Babylonia  by  the  sons  of  Shem, 
and  «^^heir  flight  to  Egypt,  gave  rise  to  many  of  the  ancient  fa- 
bles, and  that  they  were  the  giants  and  Titans  of  the  first  ages 
under  Cush.) 

* Rees  under  Cush  — This  will  account  for  the  similarity  be- 
tween the  mythology  of  India  and  that  of  Egypt,  and  for  the 
fact,  if  indeed  it  be  a fact,  that  some  parts  of  the  Grecian  my- 
thology were  founded  on  events  which  occurred  in  India. 

I cannot  follow  Bryant  through  all  his  course.  He  imagines 
that  he  can  trace  the  Cushites  from  India  into  Independent  Tar- 
tary (to  “ Sogdiana  and  the  regions  upon  the  laxertcs,”  the 
present  Sihon  which  falls  into  the  sea  of  Aral ;)  and  thence  a- 
cross  “ the  upper  part  of  China”  “ quite  to  the  ocean,”  and 
even  into  Japan,  which  he  thinks  “was  probably  in  some  de- 
gree peopled  by  them.”  He  fancies  that  many  of  the  Tartar 
tribes  are  their  descendants,  and  goes  so  far  as  to  say  that  the 
Scythians  in  general  were  Cushites,  (/fees  under  Cush.)  Oth- 
ers have  attempted  to  derive  Scythian  from  the  Chaldaic  form 
of  Cush,  Calmet  believes  “ that  by  Cush  on  the  river  Gihon, 
(Gen.  ii.  13.)  is  meant  the  ancient  country  of  the  Scythians  on 
the  Araxes,”  and  the  Cuthah  of  2 Kin.  xvii.  24.  which  he  says, 
was  settled  bj'  a colony  of  Cushites  ; “ that  Cuthah  and  Scythia 
are  the  same  place  ;”  and  that  the  Cuthites  who  were  trans- 
planted into  Samaria  “ came  from  the  land  of  Cush,  or  Cutha, 
on  the  Araxes.”  But  whether  he  believes  that  the  Scythians 
and  Cushites  were  the  same,  or  that  one  ofthese  nations  drove 
out  the  other,  it  is  impossible  to  determine.  (Diet,  of  the  Bible 
under  Cush,  Cuthah  and  Cuthites.)  But  Strabo  plainly  distin- 
guishes Scythia  from  Ethiopia,  and  sets  the  two  in  direct  oppo- 
sition. (Ancient  Geog.  p.  23.)  Josephus  affirms  that  the  Scy- 


•20 


I 


a rank  anions:  the  human  race,  and  been  degraded 
into  a species  of  talking  baboons  !* 

(2.)  What  will  the  deniers  of  all  capacity  to  Afri- 
cans say,  when  they  are  told  that  in  the  opinion  of 
many  of  the  learned  the  ancient  Egyptians  them- 
selves were  negroes  ? This  opinion  is  chiefly  found- 
ed on  the  testimony  of  Herodotus,  who  says,  “ For 
my  part  I believe  the  Colchi  to  be  a colony  of  Egyp- 
tians, because  like  them  they  have  black  skins  and 
frizzled  hair.”  Volney  is  fully  of  this  opinion,  and 
exclaims,  “ How  are  we  astonished  when  we  behold 
.the  present  barbarism  and  ignorance  of  the  Copts, 
descended  from  the  profound  genius  of  the  Egyptians, 
and  the  brilliant  Imagination  of  the  Greeks;  when 
we  reflect  that  to  the  race  of  negroes,  at  present  our 
slaves,  and  tlie  objects  of  our  extreme  contempt,  we 
owe  our  arts,  sciences,  and  even  the  very  use  of 
speech ; and  when  we  recollect  that  in  the  midst  of 
those  nations  who  call  themselves  the  friends  of  liber- 
ty and  humanity,  the  most  barbarous  of  slaveries  is 
justified,  and  that  it  is  even  a problem  whether  the 
understanding  of  negroes  be  of  the  same  species 
with  that  of  white  men.”f 
(3.)  The  present  depressed  state  of  the  African  mind 
may  be  accounted  for  without  supposing  any  original 

thians  descended  from  Magog,  the  son  of  Japheth:  {Antiq.  B.  i. 
Chap.  6.)  and  this  is  the  commonly  received  opinion. 

* The  Cushites  continued  to  hold  a respectable  station  long 
after  they  ceased  to  take  the  lead  among  the  nations.  The 
queen  of  Sheba,  whose  fame  is  perpetuated  in  sacred  history, 
was  of  this  race,  and  many  believe  from  Africa  itself. 

t Rees  under  Cophtt.  Note  F. 


21 


or  permanent  inferiority.  To  say  nothing  of  climate, 
much  may  be  ascribed  to  education,  to  peculiar  ha- 
bits and  customs,  to  diet,  and  to  the  laws  and  forms 
of  government  under  which  the  nations  of  Africa 
live.  Add  to  this,  that  for  thirty  centuries  they  have 
been  the  common  spoil  of  the  world,  and  treated  as 
though  they  were  made  only  for  slaves.  And  as  to 
- those  who  are  found  in  other  countries,  what  could 
be  expected  of  creatures  so  circumstanced.^ — torn 
from  their  native  soil  in  a state  of  nature, — kept  in 
the  profoundest  ignorance,  with  every  obstacle  op- 
posed to  their  improvement, — depressed  by  the  most 
c»*uel  treatment,  by  a series  of  wrongs  enough  to  ex- 
tinguish the  last  spark  of  genius, — and  witli  no  hope, 
no  incentive  to  exertion. 

From  the  paralyzing  influence  of  slavery  the  an- 
cient slaves  of  all  nations,  whatever  their  complexion, 
were  considered  inferior  in  intellect.*  Yet  what  was 
benumbed  was  not  destroyed.  Out  of  tlie  stagnant 
pool  of  slavery  arose  a Serviu  Tullius,  the  sixth  king 
of  Rome  ; an  iEsop,  one  of  the  wise  men  of  Greece ; 
a Phaedrus,  who  wrote  fables  in  lambic  verse  ,*  an 
Aleman,  a lyric  poet ; an  Epictetus,  the  celebrated 
stoic  philosopher ; and  a Terence,  a distinguished 
dramatic  writer  amongr  the  Romans.  The  latter 
was  an  African,  a native  of  Carthage.f 

* This  is  noticed  by  Homer  : 

“ For  half  his  senses  Jove  conveys  away, 

Whom  once  he  dooms  to  see  the  servile  day.” 

(Clarkson,  p.  32.  Greg",  p.  51.) 

t Greg.  p.  45,  169,  174.  Biog.  Diet,  under  the  several  names. 
Rees.  Clarkson. 


22 


(4.)  There  are  many  Africans  who  have  discovered 
marks  of  genius  and  an  elevated  character,  sufficient 
to  redeem  their  race  from  the  charge  whicli  I am 
now  considering.  There  would  have  been  many 
more  had  circumstances  favoured. 

“ Full  many  a gem  of  purest  ray  serene, 

The  dark  unfathom’d  cares  of  ocean  bear; 

Full  many  a flow’r  is  born  to  blush  unseen, 

And  waste  its  sweetness  on  the  desert  air.” 

“ In  all  countries,”  says  one,  “ genius  is  a spark 
concealed  in  the  bosom  of  a flint,  which  bursts  forth 
at  the  stroke  of  the  steel.”  Passing  by  many  an- 
cient Ethiopians  to  whom  I have  only  seen  a refer- 
ence,* and  some  instances  of  energy  and  prowess  in 
the  fleld,t  I have  arranged  the  names  of  more  than 
fifty  negroes  and  mulattoes  which  are  worthy  to  be 
preserved  from  oblivion.  Among  these  I could  show 
you  a handsome  portrait  painter,  a distinguished 
physician,  skilful  navigators,  and  useful  ministers  of 
religion.  1 could  show  you  those  who  could  repeat 
from  memory  the  koran,  and  those  who,  without 
rules  or  figures,  could  perform  the  most  difficult 
calculations  with  the  rapidity  of  thought.  I could 
show  you  those  who  were  skilled  in  Latin,  Greek, 
and  Hebrew,  and  in  an  Instance  or  two  I might  add, 
Arabic  and  Chaldaic.  I could  show  you  teachers  of 
the  Latin  language,  a teacher  of  the  mathematics, 
and  a publisher  of  almanacs.  I could  show  you  po- 
ets, authors  of  letters,  histories,  memoirs,  essays, 
petitions  to  legislative  bodies,  and  Latin  verses  and 


* Greg.  p.  169,  170. 


t Id.  p.  93,  94. 


2a 


dissertations.  I could  show  you  a naan  “of  great 
wisdom  and  profound  knowledge,”  several  who  were 
truly  learned,  and  one  who  gave  private  lectures  on 
philosophy  at  a university.  I could  show  you  mem- 
bers of  the  universities  of  Cambridge,  Leyden,  and 
Wittemberg.  I could  show  you  one  who  took  the 
degree  of  doctor  of  philosophy,  and  was  raised  to 
the  chair  of  a professor,  in  one  of  the  first  univer- 
sities in  Europe ; another  who  was  a corresponding 
member  of  the  French  Academy  of  sciences;  and  a 
third  who  was  an  associate  of  the  National  Institute 
of  France.  I could  show  you  one  who  for  many 
ages  has  been  surnamed  in  Arabia  the  pytse,  and 
whose  authority  Mahomet  himself  frequently  appeal- 
ed to  in  the  koran  in  support  of  his  own  opinions. 
1 could  show  you  men  of  wealth  and  active  benevo- 
lence : here  a sable  Howard  spending  his  life  in  vi- 
siting prisons,  to  relieve  and  reclaim  the  wretched 
tenants,  and  consecrating  all  his  property  to  charita- 
ble uses  ; there  another  founding  a hospital  for  poor 
negroes  and  mulattoes,  and  devoting  his  life  and  for- 
tune to  their  comfort  for  more  than  forty  years  ; in 
another  place  a third,  making  distant  and  expensive 
voyages  to  promote  the  improvement  of  his  bre- 
thren and  the  colonization  of  Africa.  I could  show 
you  those  who,  with  distinguished  talents  and  repu- 
tation, have  signalized  themselves  in  the  cabinet  and 
in  the  field  ; who  have  been  officers  of  artillery  in 
the  different  armies  of  Europe,  generals  in  St.  Do- 
mingo, lieutenant-generals  in  the  Russian  service, 
and  one  who  rose  to  the  rank  of  general  of  division 
in  the  armies  of  France.  I could  show  you,  on  one 


24 


island,  the  president  of  a free  republic,  and  the  king 
of  an  independent  nation,  who  have  burst  their  way 
to  liberty  by  their  own  vigour.* 

(5.)  Besides  these  pa>  ticular  cases  I will  lay  before 
you  some  general  testimonies.  The  oidination  of 
negroes  to  the  sacred  office  is  “ among  the  Span- 
iards, and  still  more  among  the  Portuguese,  a com- 
mon occurrence.  The  history  of  Con^o  gives  an 
account  of  a black  bishop  who  studied  at  Rome. 
The  son  of  a king,  and  many  young  people  of  qua- 
lity, of  the  same  country,  sent  into  Portugal  in  the 
time  of  king  Immanuel,  were  distinguished  at  the 
universities,  and  many  of  them  were  promoted  to 
the  priesthood.”  For  more  than  a century  “a  ca- 
tholic negro  clergy”  have  existed  in  the  isles  of  Cape 
Verd-t  “ Several  negroes.”  says  a resident  in  Por- 
tugal, “■  have  been  learned  lawyers,  preachers,  and 
professors ; and  at  Libbon,  Rio-Janeiro,  and  in  other 
Portuguese  possessions,  have  been  signalized  by  their 
talents.”!  IVllchaud  the  elder  told  me,”  says  Gre- 
golre,  “ that  he  had  seen  them  in  different  parts  of 
the  Persian  Gulph,  heads  of  great  commercial  hou- 
ses, receiving  orders  and  expediting  vessels  to  all 
parts  of  the  Indian  coast.”|| 

The  revolution  in  St.  Domingo  has  formed  a new 
epoch  in  the  history  of  the  African  race.  “ The 
spasms  of  infuriated  man”  struggling  for  liberty,  have 
seldom  been  more  violent.  We  have  nothing  to  do 
with  the  moral  features  exhibited  in  the  contest ; but 
let  those  who  doubt  the  energy  of  the  African  cha- 


*XoteG.  t Gre^.  p.  64-86.  JW.  p.  157,  158.  ||/d.p.  159. 


25 


racter,pass  over  those  encrlmsonecl  fields,  or  perched 
on  some  cliff,  contemplate  a republic  and  a kingdom 
of  independent  negroes,  completely  organized,  cul- 
tivating the  arts  of  peace,  pursuing  commerce,  es- 
tablishing schools  and  churches,  and  with  a vigour 
scarcely  surpassed  in  the  French  revolution,  rising 
up  to  a standing  among  the  enlightened  and  polish- 
ed nations  of  Europe  and  America. 

The  capacity  of  the  blacks  has  been  fairly  tested 
in  the  schools  which  have  been  established  for  their 
use.  “ Wilberforce,  in  conjunction  with  many  mem- 
bers of  the  society  occupied  with  the  education  of 
Africans,  has  established  for  them  a kind  of  collejrc 
at  Clapham,  which  is  about  four  leagues  distant  from 
London.  The  first  placed  there  were  twenty-one 
young  negroes  sent  by  the  governour  of  Sierra-Le- 
one. I visited  this  establishment  in  1802,”  says 
Gregoire,  “ to  examine  the  progress  of  the  scholars  ; 
and  I found  that  between  them  and  European  chil- 
dren there  existed  no  difference  but  that  of  colour.”* 
In  the  college  of  La  Marche  at  Paris,  a number  of 
young  Africans  have  been  receiving  an  education. 
Their  progress  has  been  examined  by  many  mem- 
bers of  the  National  Institute,  and  the  result  is  the 
same  as  that  obtained  at  Clapham.t  A few  years 
ago  an  African  school  at  Boston,  consisting  of  400 
children,  was  examined  by  the  French  consul  at 
that  place,  and  the  result  was  still  the  same.|  The 
venerable  Antony  Benezet  some  years  ago  estab- 
lished a free  African  school  in  Philadelphia,  and  de- 

/ 

t id.  p.  155,  156.  I id.  p.  166. 

D 


^ Greg.  p.  155. 


26 


voted  a considerable  part  of  his  time  to  the  instruc- 
tion of  the  blacks.  This  man,  who  had  the  best 
opportunity  of  judging,  constantly  and  solemnly  af- 
firmed that  he  could  never  find  any  difference  be- 
tween them  and  other  people ; that  they  were  as 
capable  of  reasoning,  and  of  making  the  highest  at- 
tainments, and  needed  nothino;  but  cultivation  to  af- 
ford  specimens  of  the  finest  productions.*  The  Afri- 
can seminary  lately  established  in  the  same  city, 
has  brought  forward  new  proof.  Gentlemen  of  re- 
spectability who  have  examined  the  progress  of  the 
pupils,  speak  of  it  in  terms  of  high  commendation.t 
The  African  school  established  by  this  Synod  has 
added  to  evidence  already  sufficient.  The  two  young 
men  under  our  care  have  given  specimens  of  talents 
and  proficiency  not  at  all  inferior  to  what  might  be 
expected  from  our  brothers  and  sons.J 
(6.)  The  objection  which  we  are  considering  proves 
too  much.  If  it  has  any  meaning,  it  implies  that 
Africans  are  Incapable  of  being  christianized ; and 
then  it  ought  to  be  shown  that  they  are  not  immor- 
tal. But  was  not  the  eunuch  Immortal  to  whom  an 
inspired  evangelist  was  directed  by  the  Holy  Ghost  .^|| 
Is  the  glory  of  the  Ethiopian  Church  forgotten,  from 
which  thousands  have  been  translated  to  heaven.^ 
Not  Immortal ! Have  we  not  seen  many  of  them 
converted  by  the  Spirit  of  God  } Are  they  not  mem- 
bers of  our  churches,  and  even  preachers  of  reli- 
gion.^ Grant  that  they  are  not  as  great  as  some 
other  varieties  of  the  human  species,  yet  if  they  are 

* Greg.  p.  156,  244.  Clarkson,  p.  J13.  t H.  f Abtel. 
j|  Acts  riii.  26,  &c, 


.27 


capable  of  becoming  Christians,  and  of  being  rai- 
sed from  hell  to  heaven,  that  is  enough.  Our  commis- 
sion does  not  direct  us  to  a few  of  the  most  intellec- 
tual nations,  but  commands  us  to  go  “into  all  the 
world  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature.” 
(7.)  The  elevation  of  the  Africans  is  evidently  a 
part^of  the  new  order  of  things  which  belongs  to 
this  new  and  wonderful  period.  To  those  who  have 
observed  the  signs  of  the  times,  it  cannot  be  doubt- 
ful that  a new  and  splendid  era  was  Introduced  about 
five  and  twenty  years  ago.  In  the  year  1792  three 
series  of  events  commenced,  which  need  not  a fourth 
to  fill  the  earth  with  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of 
the  Lord.  First,  the  series  of  missionary  and  cha- 
ritable efforts.  The  first  missionary  society  in  mo- 
dern times  was  established  that  year  at  Klttcrlng  in 
England  ; and  all  the  missionary  efforts  which  have 
since  agitated  the  four  quarters  of  the  globe,  and  all 
the  Missionary,  Bible,  and  Charitable  Institutions 
which  cover  the  whole  face  of  Christendom,  have 
followed  in  its  train.  Secondly,  the  series  of  revi- 
vals of  reliction.  The  first  in  this  continuous  succes- 
slon  commenced  that  very  year.  I had  the  privi- 
lege of  witnessing  it  myself,  and  know  assuredly 
that  no  Intermission  has  occurred  from  that  day  to 
this.  Thirdly,  the  series  of  judgments,  intended  to 
destroy  the  nations  which  had  given  “ their  power 
and  strength  to  the  beast.”*  The  blood  began  to  flow 
in  Europe  that  very  year.  These  three  series  have 
been  widening  and  rising  higher  during  every  year 


* Rev.  xvii.  1.3.' 


28 


of  the  twenty-five,  with  the  single  exception  of  the 
present  truce  in  Europe,  which  every  thing  in  pro- 
phecy and  providence  proclaims  will  be  but  tem- 
porary.* I might  add  that  evangelical  truth,  which 
began  visibly  to  advance  a-bout  the  same  time,  has 
been  making  its  way  with  astonishing  rapidity  in 
the  Christian  world,  and  especially  in  these  States, 
tlirough  the  whole  period.  In  large  districts  of  our 
country  a complete  revolution  has  been  accomplish- 
ed in  seA'eral  important  respects.  In  short  no  era 
since  the  advent  of  Christ  has  been  so  strongly  mark- 
ed, not  even  excepting  the  Reformation  itself. 

The  question  now  arises,  is  there  any  thing  in 
providence  which  denotes  that  the  relief  and  eleva- 
tion of  the  African  race  belong  to  this  new  order  of 
things  ? There  is,  and  the  evidence  is  truly  asto- 
nishing. Precisely  at  the  commencement  of  the  new 
era,  this  work  began  on  a grand  scale  in  different 
parts  of  the  world,  and  has  kept  pace  Avlth  the  other 
series  of  events  ever  since.  The  iicav  era  was 
ushered  in  by  two  great  occurr-enccs  deeply  affect- 
ing the  negro  world,  and  presaging  their  delive- 
rance ; one  full  of  hope  to  those  who  desire  their 
salvation,  the  other  full  of  terror  to  those  who  op- 
press them.  I allude  to  the  establishment  of  the 
colony  of  Sierra-Leone,  and  the  revolution  in  St. 
Domingo.  The  former  Avas  intended  as  a door 
through  which  Christianity  and  civilization  should  be 
conveyed  into  the  heart  of  Africa ; the  latter  threAv 

There  was  a former  truce  not  recollected  when  this  was 
written. 


29 


upon  the  world  two  organized  and  independent  states 
bf  negroes,  (a  sight  never  before  witnessed,)  and 
that  too  by  an  awful  eruption  in  the  centre  of  that 
part  of  the  world  which  is  most  deeply  laden  with 
sins  ao-ainst  Africa.  This  revolution  commenced  in 
1791  ; the  colony  of  Sierra-Leone  was  fully  estab- 
lished in  1792.  An  unsuccessful  bejfinninsr  had  been 
made  five  or  six  years  before;  but  in  1791  a com- 
pany was  incorporated  upon  new  and  better  princi- 
ples, and  in  1792  the  colony  was  confirmed  by  more 
than  a thousand  blacks  transported  from  Nova- 
Scotia.* 

With  these  most  interestino^  bemnninj^s  the  new 
era  commenced  : and  what  has  been  the  progress 
since  ? Such  as  to  fill  the  mind  with  amazement. 
The  full  developement  of  all  the  zeal  and  energies 
of  the  friends  of  Africa  in  England, — the  appear- 
ance of  many  able  advocates  for  oppressed  huma- 
nity on  the  continent, — the  abolition  of  the  slave- 
trade  by  every  civilized  nation  in  the  world  but  tAvo, 
— various  bands  of  missionaries  sent  into  the  heart 
of  Africa, — others  dispersed  among  the  slaves  in  the 
West-Indies  and  South  America, — the  African  col- 
lege at  Clapham, — the  African  seminary  at  Phila- 
delphia,— the  African  school  under  the  care  of  this 
Synod, — the  dissolving  state  of  the  prejudice  against 
the  instruction  of  negroes, — and  lastly,  the  great 
Colonization  Society,  established  at  the  seat  of  our 
government,  under  the  first  influence  in  our  country, 
with  four  powerful  auxiliaries  already  formed,  and 


* Note  K. 


30 


another  soon  to  be  organized,  I hope,  in  this  city  ; 
and  two  young  men,  under  that  high  patronage,  just 
embarking  for  Europe,  to  concert  measures  with 
the  friends  of  emancipation  in  England,  to  explore 
the  African  coast,  and  bring  back  a chart  of  the 
fittest  situations  for  colonies.*  These  are  events  so 
splendid,  and  passing  in  such  rapid  succession,  that 
in  contemplating  them  we  are  like  men  that  dream. 
Surely  the  future  glory  of  Africa  is  struggling  in  its 
birth.  It  can  no  longer  be  made  a question  whe- 
ther the  elevation  of  the  African  race  is  a part  of 
the  new  order  of  things.  The  providence  of  God 
has  declared  it.  The  Almighty  Deliverer  is  alrea- 
dy on  his  march  to  relieve  the  woes  of  Africa.  Her 
resurrection  is  already  stampt  with  the  broad  seal 
of  heaven.  Let  all  the  nations  behold  the  siffn  and 
bow  to  the  mandate  of  God. 

(8.)  But  without  further  reasoning  our  text  forever 
settles  the  question.  Ethiopia,  the  representative 
of  the  whole  negro  world,  shall  stretch  out  her 
hands  to  God.  Let  cruel  and  unbelievlns  minds 
raise  up  as  many  jeers  and  objections  as  they  may, 
the  thing  will  proceed,  “ for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord 
hath  spoken  it.” 

We  have  now  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  a 
brighter  day  is  arising  on  Africa.  Already  I seem  to 
see  her  chains  dissolved, — her  desert  plains  turned 
into  a fruitful  field, — her  Congo  and  her  Senegal 
the  seats  of  science  and  religion,  reflecting  the  glo- 
ry of  the  rising  sun  from  the  spires  of  their  church- 

* Xoic  L. 


31 


es  and  universities, — ^her  Gambia  and  Niger  whiten- 
ed with  her  floating  commerce, — her  crowded  cities 
sending  forth  the  hum  of  business, — her  poets  and 
orators  standing:  on  the  same  shelf  with  Milton  and 

O 

Burke, — and  all  her  sons  employed  in  the  songs  of 
salvation.  And  when  that  day  shall  come,  I am 
sure  posterity  will  see  the  names  of  Clarkson,  Sharp, 
Wilberforce,  Thornton,  and  Gregoire,  recorded  on 
the  cities  and  monuments  of  a grateful  continent. 

V.  Let  us  consider  the  duty  of  the  American 
people  in  reference  to  this  subject. 

The  great  work  of  bringing  forward  these  events 
plainly  belongs  to  us.  There  is  no  nation  under 
heaven  so  deeply  laden  with  obligations  to  the  Afri- 
can race,  or  who  have  so  many  facilities  to  ac- 
complish their  restoration.  While  few  of  this  peo- 
ple are  found  in  Europe,  fifteen  hundred  thousand 
live  among  ourselves.  They  have  tilled  our  soil, 
and  watered  it  with  their  tears.  Our  luxuries  have 
been  extracted  from  the  sweat  of  their  brow  and 
their  broken  hearts.  We  owe  a greater  atonement 
than  any  other  nation  to  bleeding  Africa.  And  it 
is  more  in  our  power  to  make  it  than  in  that  of  any 
other  people.  We  have  an  Immense  population  of 
the  sable  race  at  our  door,  and  under  our  control, 
whom  we  could  enlighten,  and  elevate,  and  convert 
into  instruments  of  salvation  to  the  millions  of  Afri- 
ca. No  other  nation  has  this  advantage;  of  no 
other  nation  is  this  so  loudly  required.  Let  us  no 
longer  look  to  Europe  for  the  redemption  of  Afri- 
cans : the  work  is  laid  on  ourselves  by  the  plain  di- 
rection of  heaven.  Let  the  American  people  com- 


32 


bine  to  lead  on  those  exalted  destinies  which  are 
preparing  for  Ethiopia,  and  strive  to  raise  up  the 
character  which  they  have  so  largely  helped  to  de- 
grade. l..et  every  man  exert  himself  in  his  parti- 
cular sphere. — Among  the  various  measures  which 
present  themselves  to  view,  there  are  two  points  of 
duty  on  which  I wish  to  Insist;  the  instruction  of 
our  own  black  population,  and  the  preparation  of 
ministers  and  school-masters  for  the  African  race  at 
larffe. 

(1.)  The  instruction  of  our  own  black  population. 
Is  it  known  that  there  are  fifteen  hundred  thousand 
souls  scattered  among  the  people  of  these  States, 
who  must  live  forever  in  heaven  or  hell,  and  who 
for  the  most  part  are  posting  on  to  judgment  in  the 
grossest  ignorance  and  vice,  directly  under  the  eye 
of  Christian  churches  ? And  do  our  charities  and 
missionary  zeal  wander  abroad  to  other  lands,  and 
overlook  this  part  of  our  own  countrymen  } What 
sort  of  zeal  is  that  which  can  only  see  objects  at  a 
distance,  and  is  blind,  and  deaf,  and  hardened  against 
those  who  are  pleading  for  mercy  at  our  door  } 

Do  you  tell  me  that  masters  will  not  suffer  their 
slaves  to  be  instructed  for  fear  of  consequences  ? 
And  has  it  come  to  this,  that  the  rational  offspring  of 
God  are  placed,  and  are  to  be  held,  in  a condition  in 
which  it  is  not  safe  for  them  to  read  the  Bible ! Be 
it  recorded  and  remembered, — be  it  known  to  every 
part  of  our  country, — God  will  not  suffer  a million 
and  a half  of  his  creatures,  in  the  midst  of  a Chris- 
tian land,  to  go  through  the  millennium,  or  to  live 
much  longer,  without  being  able  to  read  his  word. 


33 


They  certainly  will  be  instructed,  or  consequence^ 
will  result  which  I tremble  to  name.  Had  I a voice 
to  reach  the  Ohio  and  St.  Mary’s,  t would  invoke 
the  whole  population  of  the  south,  as  they  value  the 
favour  of  God  or  their  own  tranquillity,  to  teach  their 
slaves  to  read  the  Holy  Scriptures.  And  I would 
say  to  them  in  tones  of  solemn  warning,  “ If  you  al- 
together hold  your  peace,  then  shall  enlargement 
and  deliverance  arise  from  another  place,  but  you 
and  your  father’s  house  shall  be  destroyed.” 

It  is  even  reported  that  some  will  not  permit  their 
slaves  to  pray.  But  the  sorrows  of  an  oppressed 
and  broken  heart  will  find  vent,  in  spite  of  all  the 
laws  of  tyrants  or  the  vigilance  of  centinels.  Not 
many  years  ago,  (as  is  stated  in  a late  letter  from 
the  south,)  a man  of  family,  fortune,  and  education 
had  a pious  slave,  who  was  in  the  habit  of  collect- 
ing his  brethren,  on  fit  occasions,  for  prayer  and 
reading  the  Scriptures.  The  master  ordered  him 
to  be  severely  beaten,  and  forbade  him  to  repeat 
the  offence.  Coming  home  one  evening  soon  after, 
he  passed  the  cabin  where  this  slave  was  engaged 
in  prayer  with  his  companions.  He  dismounted  in 
a rage,  and  with  whip  in  hand  approached  the  door, 
determined  to  execute  his  fierce  displeasure.  He 
paused.  The  voice  within  was  earnestly  praying 
for  him : “ God  forgive  my  master,  even  as  / for- 
give him.”  The  words  reached  his  heart.  The  whip 
fell  from  his  hand.  He  trembled,  he  sunk  upon  his 
knees,  and  mingled  his  voice  with  that  of  the  asto- 
nished negroes  in  cries  for  mercy.  He  is  now  a zeal- 
ous minister  of  Christ,  and  in  a late  convention  of  the 
Episcopal  clergy  so  distinguished  himself  by  his  ?eal 

E 


34 


and  eloquence,  that  he  was  pronounced  a Paul  in 
his  present  character,  as  he  had  been  in  his  former 
wickedness.* 

How  comes  it  to  pass  that  servants  bom  in  our 
house  or  bought  with  our  money,  are  so  generally 
excluded  from  the  seal  of  God’s  covenant.^  If  we 
violate  the  great  Abrahamic  charter,  how  shall  we 
so  readily  support  infant  baptism  ? If  we  abide  by 
that  charter,  pious  masters  will  dedicate  their  infant 
slaves  equally  with  their  children.  These  ought  to 
be  placed  under  the  care  of  the  church,  and  by  all 
the  bonds  of  the  covenant  secured  a religious  edu- 
cation. 

(2.)  It  is  another  special  duty  devolved  on  the 
American  people  to  raise  up  preachers  and  teach- 
ers for  the  African  race  at  large.  It  is  much  easie 
to  provide  such  characters  in  this  than  in  any  other 
country,  and  there  is  a greater  call  for  them  here 
than  any  where  else.  If  our  black  population  is  to 
be  instructed,  it  must  be  chiefly  done  by  men  of  their 
own  colour.  If  colonies  are  to  be  sent  abroad,  they 
must  be  supplied  with  ministers  and  school-masters, 
or  they  will  relapse  into  heathenism,  and  instead  of 
advancing  will  retard  the  improvement  of  Africa. 

The  Synod  of  New-York  and  New-Jersey  have 
made  a beginning  in  this  great  work.  They  have 
established  a school  under  the  care  of  a pious  and 
able  preceptor.  They  have  already  admitted  two 

* This  account  is  contained  in  a letter  from  a young  gentle- 
man in  Virginia  to  his  friends  in  Providence,  R.  1.  which  was 
published  in  the  newspapers  a few  months  ago. 


35 


young  men  of  respectable  talents,  destined  for  the 
ministry,  who  are  pursuing  their  studies  with  en- 
couraging success.*  Several  more  from  different 
parts  of  the  country  have  made  application,  and  are 
preparing  to  enter  the  school.  There  is  no  reason 
to  doubt  that  pupils  will  offer  in  sufficient  numbers 
to  exhaust  all  the  funds  which  we  can  raise.  Our 
exertions  will  be  bounded  by  nothing  but  our  pecu- 
niary means.  Every  cent  that  is  bestowed  will  help 
forward  with  the  sanctification  of  Africa, — will  as- 
sist in  opening  some  benighted  eye  to  the  light  of 
life,  and  penetrating  some  aching  heart  with  the  joy 
of  salvation.  We  come  to  you  this  evening  with 
our  hands  stretched  out  in  supplication  for  Africa, 
which,  though  dark  her  skin,  is  one  of  our  own  mo- 
ther’s children.  We  beseech  you  by  that  mercy 
which  you  hope  to  find,  that  you  do  not  reject  our 
suit.  We  beseech  you  by  the  tears  which  were 
once  shed  for  you,  that  you  aid  us  in  wiping  the 
tears  of  an  oppressed  race.  I have  no  intention  to 
practise  on  your  feelings.  I know  too  well  the  pi- 
ety ^nd  liberality  of  this  metropolis.  I only  wish 
to  spread  the  object  before  you  in  its  own  native 
forms, — to  lay  open  every  wounded  and  aching  part. 
I am  sorry  that  I have  not  been  able  to  do  this  with 
more  success.  Your  goodness  will  supply  the  rest. 
You  will  furnish  the  Synod  with  means  to  prosecute 
their  benevolent  designs. 

Beloved  brethren,  to  live  in  such  a world  and 
age  as  this  brings  with  it  immense  obligations ; — the 


* Note  M. 


36 


world  of  all  olliers  which  the  Son  of  God  redeemed 
with  blood  ; — the  age  selected  from  all  ages  to  be 

the  season  of  his  highest  triumph  and  reward ; 

the  spot  and  time,  among  all  worlds  and  periods, 
most  interesting  to  the  eyes  of  heaven.  To  exist 
in  such  a day,  is  a privilege  which  kings  and  pro- 
phets desired,  but  were  not  permitted  to  enjoy.  If 
ever  the  servants  of  God  Avere  “a  flame  of  fire,” 
this  is  the  time  to  exhibit  themselves  such.  You 
stand,  my  beloved  brethren,  under  an  opening  hea- 
ven. You  stand  by  the  tomb  of  a world  rising  from 
death.  Be  not  stupid  in  such  a day.  Be  not  half 
awake.  Let  your  souls  stand  erect,  looking  out 
for  the  approaching  God.  Let  every  nerve  be  strung 
to  action.  Great  is  the  human  effort  which  the  day" 
calls  for ; great  will  be  the  triumph  which  faith  and 
patience  will  achieve.  It  is  but  “ a little  while,  and 
he  that  shall  come  will  come  and  Avill  not  tarry.” 
For  my  part  I would  rather  be  one  to  folloAv  the 
wheels  of  his  victorious  chariot,  than  to  enjoy  the 
triumphs  of  a Cesar.  Let  a prostrate  world  pre- 
pare to  sing,  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David ! bless- 
ed is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  i 
hosanna  in  the  highest !”  Amen  and  Amen. 


JVO  TE  S, 


A. 

Ham  himself  is  supposed  to  have  settled  in  Egypt,  together 
with  his  son  Mizraim.  Plutarch  says  that  the  country  by  its 
ancient  inhabitants  was  called Chemia,  the  land  ofChemor  Ham, 
(^Rollin' s Ancient  Hist.  Vol,  i.  p.  146.  Rees  under  Egypt.')  It  is 
sometimes  called  the  land  of  Ham  in  the  Old  Testament.  (Ps. 
cv.  23,  27.)  But  its  proper  name  in  the  Hebrew  Sc.iptures  is 
Mizraim.  The  Greeks  afterwards  called  it  Egypt.  [Rees 
under  Egypt.)  The  Jupiter  Ammon  to  whose  honour  a tem- 
ple was  erected  in  Libya,  is  generally  believed  to  have  been 
no  other  than  Ham.  [Wells'  Ancient  Geography,  Vol.  i.  p.  93, 
94.  Oxford  Ed.  1801.) 

Lehabim,  one  of  the  sons  of  Mizraim,  was  father  of  the  Lu- 
bim,  the  two  words  being  the  same  in  Hebrew  with  the  alter- 
ation of  a single  vowel.  And  3*.  (Lubim,)  by  the  LXX  is 
translated  A/fuet,  Libyans.  (2  CArow.  xii.  3.  and  xvi.  8.  Nah. 
iii.  9.)  Thus  the  Greek  name  Libya,  which  was  given  to  the 
country  west  of  Egypt,  was  evidently  derived  from  Lehabim, 
the  father  of  the  Lubims.  Accordingly  Josephus  says,  “ La- 
bim— dwelt  in  Libya  and  named  the  country  from  himself.’^ 
[Antiq.  B.  i.  Chap.  6.)  These  Lubims  are  often  in  Scripture 
found  associated  with  the  Cushites  and  other  nations  of  Africa. 
They  came  “ out  of  Egypt"  against  Rehoboam,  in  company 
with  the  Cushites,  Sukkiims,  and  Egyptians  ; (2  Chron.  xii.  3.) 
and  against  Asa  in  company  with  the  Cushites.  (2  Chron.  xvi. 
8.  with  xiv.  9 — 16.) 

The  Ludim,  as  they  are  called  in  Jer.  xlvi.  9.  but  who  are 
generally  denominated  Lud,  [Isai.  Ixvi.  19.  Ezek.  xxvii.  10.  and 
XXX.  5.)  and  once  plainly  Lubims  or  Libyans,  [H'ah.  iii.  9.  reith 
.Ter.  xlvi.  9.  and  Ezek.  xxx.  6.)  dwelt  so  near  the  Egyptians  as 
frequently  to  assist  them  in  their  wars,  and  doubtless  inhabited 


38 


some  part  of  the  exteusive  region  of  Libya.  As  they  had  so 
much  intercourse  with  Tyre  as  to  be  employed  in  her  armies, 
(^Ezek.  xxvii.  10.)  and  are  mentioned  among  the  maritime  na- 
tions to  which  the  remnant  of  the  last  invaders  will  be  sent  to 
bring  back  the  children  of  Israel,  (/sat.  Ixvi.  19.)  they  prota- 
bly  occupied  the  sea  coast. 

Shuckford  supposes  that  Phut  settled  in  the  eastern  part  of 
Arabia  ; but  this  opinion  arose  from  the  name’s  being  repeated- 
ly mentioned  in  connexion  with  Cush,  which  that  learned  au- 
thor mistook  for  the  Asiatic  Cush.  The  LXX  uniformly  ren- 
der Phut  Libyans,  an  d hus  mark  them  as  a nation  of  Africa  : 
but  unless  Libya  be  taken  in  the  larger  sense,  as  including  all 
the  northern  part  of  Africa  west  of  Egypt,  the  version  is  incor- 
rect. Some  have  limited  this  nation  to  the  country  now  com- 
prehended in  the  kingdoms  of  Tripoli  and  Tunis  ; others  to  that 
which  at  present  constitutes  the  kingdom  of  Morocco  : but 
it  is  far  more  natural  to  suppose,  (as  they  seem  to  have  had 
no  rival  west  of  Libya  proper,)  that  they  filled  the  whole 
country  from  Libya  to  the  Atlantic,  and  from  the  Mediterra- 
nean to  the  great  desert.  From  their  being  repeatedly  associ- 
ated with  Cush,  and  Lud,  and  Egypt,  it  is  certain  that  they 
were  a nation  of  Africa,  and  near  enough  to  the  Egyptians  to 
assist  them  in  their  more  pressing  wars ; and  after  we  have 
assigned  Ethiopia  to  the  Cushites,  and  Libya  proper  to  the  de- 
scendants of  Mizraim,  we  can  find  no  other  place  for  this  fa- 
mily but  the  Barbary  coast.  In  the  great  struggle  of  Egypt 
against  Nebuchadnezzar,  they,  with  the  Libyans  and  Ethiopians, 
(Lud  and  Cush,)  were  called  in  to  defend  Africa  against  the 
power  of  Asia.  (Jer.  xlvi.  9.  Ezek.  xxx.  5.  JVaA.  iii.  9.)  They 
evidently  occupied  the  Mediterranean  coast,  as  they  are  found 
with  the  Ludim  in  the  armies  ofTyre.  {Ezek.  xxvii.  10.)  The 
inhabitants  of  the  same  country,  together  with  the  Libyans, 
Egyptians,  and  Ethiopians,  w’ill  be  arra}'^ed  under  the  banners 
of  Gog,  (which  I take  to  be  the  Turks,)  in  the  last  invasion 
of  the  Jews.  {Ezek.  xxxviii.  6.  as  it  is  in  the  Hebrew. — Dan.  xi. 
42,  43.)  And  how  natural  it  will  be  for  the  States  of  Barbary, 
subject  as  they  are  to  the  Turkish  empire,  attached  as  they 
are  known  to  be  to  the  koran,  and  containing  as  they  do  near 


39 


half  a million  of  Jews,  to  join  the  great  Mahometan  league,  and 
the  standard  of  the  Grand  Seignior,  against  the  fugitives  who 
will  have  escaped  with  immense  treasures  from  that  very 
country. 

Wells  in  his  Ancient  Geography  tells  us,  “ The  first  settle- 
ment of  this  [family]  is  with  good  reason  supposed  to  be  in  the 
parts  of  the  Libyan  or  African  continent  which  join  on  next  to 
those  possessed  by  the  descendants  of  Mizraim,  that  is,  in  the 
parts  adjoining  westward  to  Cyrenaica,  and  so  to  have  spread 
more,  westward  into  Mauritania.  [That  is,  from  Libya  proper 
to  the  Atlantic  ocean.]  For  in  Africa  properly  so  called,  [that 
is,  the  present  kingdom  of  Tunis,]  below  Adrumetum,  was  a 
city  named  Putea,  mentioned  by  Pliny  ; and  in  Mauritania, 
[the  present  Morocco,]  there  is  a river  mentioned  by  Ptolemy, 
called  Phut.  St.  Jerome  is  very  full  to  the  point,  telling  us  that 
there  is  a river  in  Mauritania  which  was  till  his  own  time  called 
Phut,  and  from  which  the  adjacent  country  was  called  Regio- 
Phytensis,  the  country  of  Phut.''  (Fb/.  i.  p.  101 , 102.)  Jose- 
phus says  that  Phut  peopled  Libya,  (which  word  he  seems  to 
use  in  the  larger  sense,)  and  adds,  “ There  is  also  a river  in 
the  country  of  the  Moors  which  bears — the  appellation  of 
Phut.”  {Jintiq.  B.  i.  Qiap.  6.)  Rollin,  without  discrimination, 
assigns  to  Phut  the  country  west  of  Egypt.  (FoLi.  p.  14G.) 


B. 

Whether  any  other  branch  of  Ham’s  posterity  were  black. 
The  present  inhabitants  of  the  countries  where  they  settled 
certainly  are  not ; but  then  the  blood  of  different  nations 
is  mixed  in  their  veins.  Jeremiah  seems  to  select  the 
Cushites  from  all  other  nations  as  being  of  this  complexion. 
(Chap.  xiii.  23.)  Why  should  he  pass  over  the  Egyptians,  the 
Lubim,  the  Ludim,  and  Phut,  and  fix  upon  a more  remote 
people,  if  ail  were  equally  black?  If  you  say  he  means  the 
Arabian  Cushites,  .you  admit  that  the  Arabians  were  black, 
as  they  are  not  now ; which  would  prove  that  the  negro  pecu- 
liarities are  not  ascribable  to  climate,  but  to  native  variety, 
Rnd  would  go  far  towards  supporting  the  hypothesis  that  alf 


40 


the  descendanta  of  Cush  were  negroes.  But  Jeremiah  may 
be  allowed  to  mean  the  African  Cushites  without  any  decisire 
proof  of  the  whiteness  of  the  nearer  nations  of  Africa.  Long  be- 
fore his  time  the  African  Ethiopians  are  said  to  have  been  sold 
to  the  Hebrews  for  slaves.  {Biog.  Diet,  and  Rees  under  Lokman. 

Gregoire  on  the  Intellectual  and  Moral  Faculties  and  Literature  » 

of  JSfegroes,  p.  19,  20.  Brooklyn  Ed.)  Certain  it  is  that  some 
of  them  lived  among  the  Jews  in  his  day.  (Jer.  xxxviii.  7.) 

This  circumstance  was  enough  to  fix  the  attention  of  the  pro- 
phet upon  Ethiopians  rather  than  Egyptians.  Again  another 
argument  may  be  derived  from  the  testimony  of  the  Greeks,  as 
implied  in  the  names  which  they  gave  to  the  different  branch- 
es of  Ham’s  posterity.  They  called  none  burnt  face  but  the 
Cushites.  But  on  the  other  hand,  the  name  which  they  gave 
to  Egypt  is  by  some  derived  from  the  blackness  of  its  inhabi- 
tants and  its  river,  “ such  a blackish  colour  being  called  by 
the  Greeks  agyptios,  from  gyps  and  cegyps.  a vulture,  which 
is  a bird  of  that  hue.”  {Rees  under  Egypt.)  Others  assign  a 
very  different  origin  to  the  name,  and  derive  A'iyvxre%  from 
country  of  Caphtor,  or  the  land  of  the  Copts,) 
which  occurs  Jer.  xlvii.  4.  {Wells'  Geography,  vol.  1.  p.  101.) 


c. 

The  islands  in  which  the  aborigines  have  been  driven  to 
the  mountains,  are  Formosa,  the  Philippines  or  Manillas,  Bor- 
neo and  the  Moluccas.  One  of  the  Phillippines,  containing 
about  3000  inhabitants,  is  called  the  Island  of  Negroes.  On 
this  there  are  two  distinct  nations  of  blacks,  between  whom 
there  is  no  intercourse  ; one  occupying  the  coast,  and  the 
other  the  mountains.  The  latter  have  “ curled  hair.” 

The  islands  in  which  the  negroes  still  have  full  possession 
are  New-Holland,  and  others  lying  at  the  distance  of  from  250 
to  1000  miles  to  the  north,  east,  and  south  ; viz.  New  Guinea^ 
New-Britain,  New-Treland,  Van  Diemen’s  Land,  Mallicollo  and 
Tanna,  [two  of  the  New-Hebrides,]  and  New-Caledonia. 

Of  the  tribes  who  inhabit  the  mountains  in  the  former  class 
of  rslaneh,  we  know  nothing  but  that  tlie3'4are  blacky  with  friz- 


41 


zled  hair.  Of  those  who  possess  entire  islands  and  are  more 
easily  examined  by  navigators,  some  approach  and  others  equal 
the  blackness  and  other  peculiarities  of  the  negro.  The  state- 
ments of  navigators  differ  however,  on  account,  it  would  seem, 
of  varieties  in  the  same  island,  produced  artificially  or  by  a 
mixture  of  blood.  But  taking  the  more  general  outline,  we 
may  divide  these  islands  into  three  classes,  according  to  the 
different  degrees  in  which  they  exhibit  the  negro  charac- 
teristics. 

1.  New-Guinea  and  N'ew-Britain.  The  negro  form  entire. 
The  colour  a shining  black,  flat  nose,  thick  lips,  and  woolly  hair. 

2.  New -Holland,  Fan  Diemen's  Land,  and  New-Ireland. 
The  characteristics  somewhat  weakened.  The  colour  a dull 
black,  woolly  or  matted  hair,  nose  not  flat,  but  broad  and  full, 
wide  mouth,  lips  full,  but  not  so  thick  as  those  of  the  African. 

3.  New-Caledonia  and  the  New-Hebrides.  The  marks  still 
weaker.  The  colour  not  quite  so  dark  as  in  the  second  class, 
the  features  much  the  same,  except  some  variations  apparent- 
ly produced  by  art,  and  tlic  hair  rather  less  soft  and  woolly 
than  that  of  the  African,  and  perhaps  than  that  of  the  New- 
Hollander.  (/?ees  under  Man,  and  under  the  several  names  above 
mentioned.') 

The  island  of  Andaman,  in  the  gulph  of  Bengal,  is  peopled 
by  a race  of  perfect  negroes.  (GregotVe  p.  17.)  But  Morse 
says  that  these  are  descendants  of  Africans  cast  away  in  a Por- 
tuguese ship  upon  the  island  at  that  time  uninhabited. 

D. 

There  are  comparatively  few  negro  slaves  in  Mexico,  the 
Indians  being  in  most  instances  their  substitutes.  {Ker's  Tra- 
vels p.  234.)  The  same  may  be  said  of  Peru  and  other  parts 
of  Spanish  America.  There  appear  to  be  more  slaves  in  the 
north  of  Brasil  than  further  down  the  coast.  The  slave-trade 
in  that  kingdom  is  still  carried  on  with  great  activity,  but  the 
condition  of  the  negroes  is  happier  in  Brasil  than  in  any  other 
country  where  slavery  is  tolerated.  {Quarterly  Review  No. 
xxxii.  p.  373,  384 — 6.  A'.  YorkEd.)  The  revolution  in  South 

P 


42 


America  will  ultimately  put  a stop  to  this  horrid  traffic.  Al- 
ready the  government  of  Buenos  Ayres  has  declared  all  chil- 
dren free  who  are  born  after  the  beginning  of  the  year  1813. 
(^Christ.  Ob.  Vol.  xiii.  p.  863.) 

E. 

It  was  computed  in  1816  that  the  English  West-Indies  con- 
tained “seven  or  eight  hundred  thousaud  and  in  another 
place  in  the  same  volume  it  is  more  formally  stated,  “ The 
British  slave-colonies  contain,  on  a moderate  computation,  lit- 
tle short  of  one  million  of  the  natives  of  Africa  or  their  descen- 
dants.” (^Christ.  Ob.  Vol.  xv.  p.  43,  479.)  By  “ slave-colo- 
nies” here  can  be  understood  nothing  else  than  the  West-In- 
dies ; for  besides  that  the  whole  paper  is  directed  to  that  point, 
the  -English  had  no  other  slave  colonies  in  1816.  In  1811  par- 
liament made  a law  prohibiting  the  buying  or  selling  of  slaves 
in  any  part  of  the  world  except  the  West- Indies.  (Christ.  Ob. 
Vol.  X.  p.  328.) 

If  there  are  a million  of  negroes  and  mulattoes  in  the  West- 
India  colonies  belonging  to  Great  Britain,  it  cannot  be  extra- 
vagant to  reckon  another  million  for  all  the  other  islands. 

The  following  very  incomplete  statement  is  taken  chiefly 
from  Rees’  Cyclopasdia  and  Morse’s  Geography.  Many  islands 
are  omitted  in  this  table. 

ENGLISH  ISLANDS. 

Jamaica.  250,000  slaves,  10,000  free  people  of  coloor, 
1,400  Maroons,  or  wild  negroes  who  have  regained  their  liber- 
ty and  live  in  the  mountains. 

Barbadoes.  100,000  blacks  in  1670,  says  Bryan  Edwards. 
Hughes  reduces  the  number  of  negroes  to  70,000,  which  num- 
ber, says  the  Quarterly  Review  has  been  kept  up  to  this  time 
(quart.  Review,  No.  ii.  p.  230,  231.)  62,000  slaves  in  1780, 
says  Morse.  120,000  negroes  and  creoles,  says  Gregoire,  p. 
119. 


43 


Antigua,  38,000  slaves.  ' 

St.  Croix,  30,000. 

St.  Christopher,  26,000. 

Grenada,  24,000  in  1785. 

Dominica,  16,000  in  1788. 

The  Bermudas,  12,000.  l 
St.  Vincent,  1 1 ,000. 

Nevis,  1 0,000. 


No  account  of  free  peo- 
ple of  colour. 


OTHER  ISLANDS. 

St.  Domingo.  600,000  slaves,  and  44,000  free  people  of 
colour,  in  the  French  part  of  the  island  before  the  revolution. 

Martinico.  70,563  slaves,  1,814  free  people  of  colour,  443 
fugitive  negroes,  in  1770,  says  Morse.  Rees  gives  a difl’er- 
ent  account:  71,142  slaves,  2,524  free  people  of  colour,  in 
1770;  73,416  slaves,  4,851  free  mulattoes,  in  1788;  making 
, an  increase  of  4,601  in  eighteen  years. 

Cuba.  25,000  slaves  on  the  beautiful  plains  of  Havanna. 
All  the  other  inhabitants  of  the  island,  which  mostly  lies  in  a 
state  of  nature,  amount  only  to  30,000. 

St.  Eustatia,  15,000  slaves.  ) No  account  of  free  peo- 

Forto-Rico,  7,000.  ^ pie  of  colour. 


F. 

Dr.  Johnson  thought  that  this  question  might  be  decided 
"by  an  examination  of  the  mummies  : and  ‘‘  Blumenbach  has 
observed  in  the  craniums  of  mummies  that  which  character- 
izes the  negro  race.”  Others  have  not  found  this  conformity. 
Volney  saw  the  figure  of  a spbynx,  (an  ancient  monster  of 
Egypt,)  and  found  the  features  exactly  those  of  a negro.  The 
present  Copts,  descended  from  the  ancient  Egyptians,  mixed 
with  the  Persians,  and  still  more  with  the  Greeks,  have  ap- 
peared to  some  perfect  mulattoes.  But  Browne,  a late  tra- 
veller, could  see  in  them  “ no  resemblance”  to  “ the  negro 
features  or  form,”  and  affirms  that  their  “ dusky  brown,”  and 
no  darker  colour,  is  found  in  the  paintings  in  the  tombs  of 
Thebes,  and  that  ” the  ancient  monuments,  paintings,  and  sta- 
tues,” generally,  exhibit  the  visage,  not  of  negroes,  but  of 


44 


the  modern  Copts.  But  Gregoire  and  many  others  still  ad- 
here to  the  opinion  of  Volney  and  Blumenbach.  (^Rees  under 
Cophti.  Gregoire,  p.  20 — 25.  Boswell's  Life  of  Johnson,  vol. 
iii.  p.  243.  Boston  Ed.') 

As  to  the  cranium  of  negroes,  it  is  not  indeed  so  strong  in 
its  outlines  as  the  Grecian  models,  which  however  were  ideal 
forms  of  perfection  that  never  existed  in  nature  : but  if  the 
same  form  of  skull  is  found  in  the  Egyptian  mummies,  as  Blu- 
menbach asserts,  and  once  contained,  as  Volney  says,  “the 
profound  genius  of  the  Egyptians,”  this  objection  ought  to  be 
dismissed.  “ It  can  be  proved  most  clearly  that  there  is  no 
circumstance  of  bodily  structure  so  peculiar  to  the  negro  as 
not  to  be  found  also  in  other  far  distant  nations  ; no  character 
which  does  not  run  into  those  of  other  races  by  the  same  in- 
sensible gradations  as  those  which  connect  together  all  the 
varieties  of  mankind.  We  cannot  but  admire  the  reasoning 
and  humanity  of  those,  who,  after  tearing  the  African  from 
liis  native  soil,  carrying  him  to  the  West-Indies,  and  dooming 
him  there  to  perpetual  labour,  complain  that  his  understand- 
ing shows  no  signs  of  improvement,  and  that  his  temper  and 
disposition  are  incorrigibly  perverse.”  (i?ees  under  Man.) 

G. 

1.  Lohnan,  a black,  thick-lipped  Ethiopian  slave,  was  sold, 
as  the  Mussulman  doctors  say,  among  the  Israelites  in  the 
days  of  David,  and  was  buried  near  Jerusalem.  He  wrote 
some  fables  which  are  yet  extant,  and  has  considerable  cele- 
brity among  the  eastern  nations.  He  is  surnamed  in  Arabia 
the  IVke,  and  is  believed  by  the  Mahometans  to  have  been  a 
prophet.  To  his  opinions  Mahomet  frequently  appeals  in  the 
koran  in  support  of  his  own.  (/tecs  and  Biog.  Diet,  under  Lok- 
man.  Greg.  p.  169.) 

2.  Benoit  of  Palermo,  named  the  holy  black,  was  a negro 
slave.  His  memory  is.  highly  revered  by  the  Romish  Church. 
He  died  at  Palermo,  A.  D.  1589.  [Greg.  p.  82 — 84.) 

3.  Henry  Diaz,  who  is  extolled  in  all  the  histories  of  Brasil, 
was  a negro,  and  once  a slave  He  was  colonel  of  a regr- 


45 


merit  of  foot  soldiers  of  his  own  colour,  which  still  exists, 
and  is  called  after  his  name.  He  was  a commander  of  talents, 
sagacity,  and  consummate  experience  In  1637  and  at  other 
times  he  performed  prodigies  of  valour  against  the  Holland- 
ers. {Greg.  p.  94 — 96.) 

4.  Hannibal,  an  African  negro,  who  had  received  a good 
education,  rose  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant-general  and  director 
of  artillery  under  Peter  the  great  of  Russia,  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  last  century.  {Greg.  p.  173.) 

5.  The  son  of  Hannibal,  above  mentioned,  a mulatto,  was 
lieutenant-general  in  the  Russian  corps  of  artillery.  {Greg. 
p.  173.) 

6.  Don  Juan  Latino,  a negro,  w as  in  1717  a teacher  of  the 
Latin  language  at  Seville  in  Spain.  {Greg.  167,  158.) 

7.  Kislar-Aga,  a negro,  was  in  1730  chief  of  the  black  eu- 
nuchs of  the  grand  seignior  at  Constantinople.  He  was  a man 
of  “ great  wisdom  and  profound  knowledge.”  (Greg.  p.  160.) 

8.  “ Higiemonde  or  Higiemondo,  commonly  named  the  negro,^’ 
was  a distinguished  painter.  His  likeness,  “ engraved  by  Ki- 
lian,”  is  “ inserted  in  the  two  works  ofSandrart.”  {Greg.  p. 
171,  172.) 

9.  Francis  Williams,  a negro,  was  born  in  Jamaica  about  the 
close  of  the  17th  century.  He  was  sent  to  England  and  there 
entered  the  university  of  Cambridge.  After  his  return  to  Ja- 
maica he  opened  a school  and  taught  Latin  and  the  mathema- 
tics. He  wrote  many  pieces  in  Latin  verse  in  which  he  dis- 
covered considerable  talents.  {Greg.  p.  207 — 219.) 

10.  .Joseph  Rachel,  a free  negro  of  Barbadoes,  was  another 
Howard.  Having  become  rich  by  commerce  he  devoted  ail 
his  property  to  charitable  uses,  and  spent  much  of  his  time 
in  visiting  prisons  to  relieve  and  reclaim  the  wretched  tenants. 
He  died  at  Bridgetown  in  1758.  {Greg.  p.  121,  122.) 

1 1 . Jasmin  Thoumazeau  was  born  in  Africa  in  1714,  and 
sold  at  St.  Domingo  in  1736.  Having  obtained  his  freedom 
he  in  1756  established  a hospital  at  the  Cape  for  poor  ne- 
groes and  mulattoes,  and  during  more  tlnm  forty  years  iie.  as- 
sisted by  his  wife,  devoted  his  time  and  fortune  to  their  com- 
fort. {Greg.  p.  122.) 


46 


12.  Antony  William  Amo  was  born  In  Gtiinea,  and  broughC 
to  Europe  when  very  young,  Under  the  patronage  of  the 
princess  of  Brunswick,  he  pursued  his  studies  at  Halle  in  Sax- 
ony, and  at  Wittemberg,  where  he  greatly  distinguished  him- 
self by  his  talents  and  good  conduct.  In  1734  he  “ took  the 
degree  of  doctor  in  philosophy  at  the  university  of  Wittem- 
berg.”  “Skilled  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Greek  and  Latin 
languages,”  and  “ having  examined  the  system  of  ancients  and 
moderns,”  he  delivered  “ private  lectures  on  philosophy” 
with  great  acceptance.  “In  1744  he  supported  a thesis  at 
Wittemberg,  and  published  a dissertation,  on  the  absence  of 
sensation  in  the  soul,  and  its  presence  in  the  human  body.” 
'He  was  “ appointed  professor,”  and  the  same  year  supported 
a thesis  “ on  the  distinction  which  ought  to  be  made  between 
the  operations  of  mind  and  those  of  sense.”  Gregoire  highly 
commends  these  “ two  dissertations,”  as  evincive  of  a mind 
“ exercised  in  reflection”  and  addicted  to  “ abstruse  discus- 
sions.” In  the  opinion  of  Blumenbach  they  “ exhibit  much 
well  digested  knowledge  of  the  best  physiological  works  of  the 
time.”  In  a memoir  of  Amo  “ published  at  the  time  by  the 
academic  council,  his  integrity,  talents,  industry,  and  erudi- 
tion are  very  highly  commended.”  Gregoire  was  unable  to 
discover  what  became  ofhim  afterwards.  (Greg.  p.  173 — 176. 
Rees  under  Man.') 

13.  Job  Ben  Solomon,  son  of  the  Mahometan  king  of  Bun- 
da  on  the  Gambia,  was  taken  in  1730  and  sold  in  Maryland. 
He  afterwards  found  his  way  to  England,  where  his  talents, 
dignified  air,  and  amenity  of  character  procured  him  friends, 
and  among  the  rest  Sir  Hans  Sloane,  for  whom  he  translated 
several  Arabic  manuscripts.  After  being  received  with  dis- 
tinction at  the  court  of  St.  James,  he  was  sent  back  to  Bun- 
da.  The  letters  which  he  afterwards  wrote  to  his  friends  in 
England  and  America  were  published  and  perused  with  inte- 
rest. This  man  is  said  to  have  been  able  to  repeat  the  koran 
from  memory.  (Greg.  p.  160,  161.) 

14.  A negro  whom  Stedman  knew  was  also  able  to  repeat 
the  koran  from  memory.  (Greg.  p.  160.) 

1 6 . James  Eliza  John  Capitein  was  born  in  Africa.  At  the 


47 


age  of  eight  he  waa  purchased  on  the  river  St.  Andre  by  a 
slave-dealer,  who  made  a present  of  him  to  one  of  his  friends. 
By  the  latter  he  was  carried  to  Holland,  where  he  employed 
himself  in  painting,  and  acquired  the  elements  of  the  Latin, 
Greek,  Hebrew,  and  Chaldaic  languages.  He  afterwards 
went  to  the  university  of  Leyden,  where  he  devoted  himself 
to  the  study  of  theology.  “ Having  studied  four  years  he  took 
his  degrees,  and  in  1742  was  sent  as  a Calvinistic  minister  to 
— Guinea.”  What  became  of  him  was  never  known.  While 
in  Holland  he  published  an  elegy  in  Latin  verse,  two  Latin 
dissertations,  (one  on  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  and  the  other 
on  slavery,)  and  a small  volume  of  sermons.  {Greg,  p.  196 — 
207.) 

16.  Ignatius  Sancho  was  born  on  board  a slave  ship  on  her 
passage  to  Carthagenain  South  America.  Before  he  was  two 
years  old  he  was  carried  to  Ensfland,  where  in  the  course  of 
his  life  he  distinguished  himself  as  a literary  character.  He 
died  in  England  in  1730.  After  his  death  an  edition  of  his  let- 
ters was  published  in  two  octavo  volumes,  which  were  well 
received  by  the  public.  {Greg,  p.  227 — 234.  Rees  under  Man,') 

17.  Thomas  Fuller,  a native  of  Africa,  and  a resident  near 
Alexandria  in  the  district  of  Columbia,  though  unable  to  read 
or  write,  excited  surprise  by  the  facility  with  which  he  per- 
formed the  most  difficult  calculations.  Being  asked  one  day 
how  many  seconds  a person  had  lived  who  was  seventy  years, 
seven  months,  and  seven  days  old,  he  answered  in  a minute  and 
a half.  On  reckoning  it  up  after  him  a different  result  was 
obtained.  “ Have  you  not  forgotten  the  leap  years  ?”  says 
the  negro.  This  omission  was  supplied,  and  the  number  then 
agreed  with  his  answer.  When  this  account  was  given  by  the 
late  Dr.  Rush,  Fuller  was  seventy  years  old.  {Greg.  p.  183 
— 185.  Rees  under  Man,) 

“ There  are  examples  of  other  negroes  who  performed  the 
most  difficult  calculations  by  memory,  for  the  execution  of 
which  Europeans  were  obliged  to  have  recourse  to  the  rules 
of  arithmetic.”  (Greg.  p.  18.5.) 

18.  Belinda  rvaLa  brought  from  Africa  at  the  age  of  twelve^ 
and  sold  in  Massachusetts.  After  being  a slave  to  one  man 


48 


forty  years,  she  addressed  to  the  legislature  of  that  state,  in 
1782  an  eloquent  petition  for  the  freedom  of  herself  and 
daughter,  which  has  been  preserved  in  one  of  the  volumes  of 
the  American  Museum.  (Greg.  p.  167,  168.) 

19.  A negro  in  1765  received  ordination  from  the  bishop 
of  Exeter.  (Greg.  p.  84,  85.) 

20  A negro,  by  the  name  of  Madocks,  was  a Methodist 
preacher  in  England.  (Rees  under  Man.) 

21.  Othello  published  at  Baltimore  in  1788  an  essay  against 
the  slavery  of  negroes.  “ Few  works  can  be  compared  with 
this  for  force  of  reasoning  and  fire  of  eloquence.”  (Greg.  p. 
185—187.) 

22.  Cesar,  a negro  of  North-Carolina,  was  the  “ author  of 
different  pieces  of  printed  poetry  which  have  become  popular.” 
(Greg.  p.  168.) 

23.  Ottohah  Cugoano  was  born  on  the  coast  of  Fan  tin  in  Afri- 
ca. He  was  dragged  from  his  country  and  carried  to  the  island 
of  Grenada.  Having  obtained  his  freedom  he  went  to  Eng- 
land, where  he  was  in  1788.  Piatoli,  a distinguished  Italian, 
was  for  a long  time  acquainted  with  him  in  London,  “ and  speaks 
in  strong  terms  of  his  piety,  his  mild  character  and  mode.sty, 
his  integrity  and  talents.”  Cugoano  published  a work  on  the 
slave  trade  and  the  slavery  of  negroes,  which  discovered  a 
sound  and  vigorous  mind,  and  which  has  been  translated  into 
French.  (Greg.  p.  188 — 196.) 

24.  Gustavus  Vasa,  whose  African  name  was  Olandad  Equi- 
ano,  was  born  in  the  kingdom  of  Benin  in  1746.  At  the  age 
of  twelve  he  was  torn  from  his  country  and  carried  to  Barba- 
does.  After  passing  into  various  hands  and  making  several 
voyages  to  Europe,  he  at  last  obtained  his  freedom,  and  in 
1781  established  himselfin  London.  There  he  “ published  his 
Memoirs,  which  have  been  several  times  reprinted  in  both  he- 
mispheres” and  read  with  great  interest.  “ Vasa  published 
a poem  containing  112  verses;”  and  in  1789  he  presented  to 
the  British  parliament  a petition  for  the  suppression  of  the 
slave-trade.  His  life  and  works  are  familiarly  known  in  Eng- 
land. (Greg.  p.  219 — 227.  Rees  under  Man.) 

25.  The  son  of  Vasa,  above-mentioned,  “ versed  in  biblio^ 


49 


graphy,”  was  “ assistant-librarian  to  Sir  Joseph  Banks,”  and 
“ secretary  to  the  committee  for  vaccination.”  (Greg.  p. 
226,  227.) 

26.  Phillis  Wheatley,  born  in  Africa  in  1753,  was  torn  from 
her  country  at  the  age  of  seven,  and  sold  in  1761  to  John 
Wheatley  of  Boston.  Allowed  to  employ  herself  in  study, 
she  “ rapidly  attained  a knowledge  of  the  Latin  language.” 
In  1772,  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  and  still  a slave,  she  pub- 
lished a little  volume  “ of  religious  and  moral  poetry,  which 
contains  thirty-nine  pieces,”  and  “ has  run  through  several 
editions  in  England  and  the  United  States.”  She  obtained  her 
freedom  in  1775,  and  died  in  1780.  (Greg.  p.  234 — 241.) 

27.  Benjamin  Bannaker,  a negro  of  Maryland,  applied  him- 
self to  astronomy  with  so  much  success,  that  he  published 
almanacs  in  Philadelphia  for  the  years  1794  and  1795.  (Greg. 
p.  187,  188.) 

28  The  son  of  JVimbana,  or  Naimbanna,  “ king  of  the  regi- 
on of  Sierra-Leone,”  who  “ceded  a portion  of  his  territory 
for  the  use  of  the  colony,”  (^JVevs-York  Spectator,  No.  2019.) 
“ came  to  England  to  study.”  He  rapidly  acquired  different 
sciences,  “ and  in  a very  short  time  was  so  well  acquainted 
with  the  Hebrew  as  to  be  able  to  read  the  Bible  in  the  origi- 
nal. This  young  man  who  gave  such  promising  hopes,  died 
a short  time  after  his  return  to  Africa.”  (Greg.  p.  161,  162.) 

29.  James  Derham,  born  in  1767,  was  formerly  a slave  in 
Philadelphia.  “ In  1788,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one,  he  be- 
came the  most  distinguished  physician  at  New-Orleans.”  “ I 
conversed  with  him  on  medicine,”  says  Dr.  Rush.  “ and  found 
him  very  learned.  I thought  I could  give  him  information 
concerning  the  treatment  of  diseases,  but  I learned  more  from 
him  than  he  could  expect  from  me.”  (Greg.  p.  182,  183.) 

The  revolution  in  St.  Domingo  brought  to  light  many  dis- 
tinguished negroes  and  mulattoes,a  few  of  whose  names 
I will  here  necord. 

30.  Dessalmes,  who  declared  himself  emperor  of  Hayti, 
was  the  first  negro  sovereign  of  that  island.  (Rees  vnder  St. 
Domingo.  Morse's  Grog.) 

r. 


39 


31.  Toussaint  Louveriure,  general  of  St.  Bomlngo,  was  a 
■egro,  and  once  a slave.  He  was  a man  of  “ prodigious  me- 
mory,” brave,  active,  indefatigable,  and  really  great.  {Greg. 
p.  102—105.) 

32.  Christophe,  the  present  negro  king  of  Hayti,  has  risen 
from  slavery  to  a throne,  and  has  displayed  great  energy  of 
character. 

33.  Mentor  was  a negro,  born  at  Martinico  in  1771.  While 
on  his  way  to  England  as  a prisoner,  he  rose  upon  the  com- 
mander and  took  possession  of  the  vessel.  “We  have  seen 
him,”  says  Gregoire,  “occupy  the  legislative  seat  at  the  side 
of  the  estimable  Tomany.”  He  was  killed  at  St.  Domingo. 

“ To  a noble  physiognomy  he  united  an  amenity  of  character, 
and  a mind  improved  by  culture.”  (Greg.  p.  102.) 

34.  John  Kina  was  a negro  of  St.  Domingo.  “ His  valour  * 
gained  him  the  most  flattering  reception  in  London.”  In  1800 

“ the  British  government  confided  to  him  the  command  of  a 
cornpany  of  men  of  colour,  destined  to  protect  the  remote 
quarters  of  the  colony  of  Surinam.”  (Greg.  p.  10 J.) 

MULATTOES. 

35.  Oge,  of  St.  Domingo,  was  a free  mulatto.  In  1791  he 
returned  from  France  to  that  island,  to  demand  the  execution 
of  the  decree  of  the  constituent  assembly  ofthe  15th  of  May 
in  favour  of  his  mulatto  brethren  and  free  negroes.  He  lost 
his  life  at  the  commencement  of  the  revolution.  Gi’egoire, 
who  appears  to  have  known  him,  speaks  of  him  with  respect, 
and  calls  him  “ the  unfortunate  Oge  worthy  of  a better  fate.” 
{Greg.  p.  96 — 98.) 

36.  Michael  Mina  was  a mulatto  of  St.  Domingo  and  an  au- 
thor. (Greg.  p.  167.) 

37.  Rigaud,  the  competitor  of  Toussaint  Louverture,  and 
a mulatto  general  of  St.  Domingo,  was  a man  of  bravery  and 
talents.  {Greg.  p.  102.) 

38.  .Jnlien  Raymond  was  “ associated  with  the  class  of  mo 
yal  and  political  sciences  for  the  section  of  legislation,”  and 
kad  a chief  hand  in  forming  “ a democratic  constitution  for 


51 


St.  Domingo.”  He  “ published  many  works,  of  which  the 
greatest  part  relate  to  the  history”  of  that  island.  Gregoire 
particularly  praises  “ the  energy  with  which  he  defended  men 
of  colour  and  free  negroes.”  He  was  an  “ associate  of  the 
National  Institute”  of  France.  (Greg.  p.  102,  167.) 

39.  Petion,  the  present  head  of  the  republic  in  that  island, 
is  a man  of  talents,  moderation,  aud  wisdom. 

40.  St.  George,  a very  extraoFdinary  mulatto  who  fought  in 
the  armies  of  the  French  republic,  “ was  considered  the  best 
swordsman  of  his  time,”  and  “ called  the  Voltaire  of  equita- 
tion, fencing,  and  instrumental  music.”  Arndt  pronounced 
him  “ the  finest,  strongest,  and  most  amiable  of  his  contempo- 
raries.” He  was  idolized  by  the  fashionable  circles  of  Paris, 
that  is,  by  the  gay  and  frivolous  who  delighted  in  the  amuse- 
ments which  he  furnished  ; and  was  considered  by  them  “ an 
accomplished  man.”  “ When  St.  George  was  to  fence,  or  to 
exhibit  his  musical  talents,  the  newspaper  annmmced  it  to 
the  idle  of  the  capital.  His  bow  and  his  foil  set  all  Paris  in 
motion.”  Gregoire  pronounces  him  “ generous,  a good  citi- 
zen, and  a good  friend.”  (Greg.  p.  98 — 100.) 

41.  Castaiiig,  a mulatto,  “ exhibited  poetical  genius,”  and 
‘‘his  pieces  ornament  different  editions  of  poetry.”  {Greg. 
p.  167.) 

42.  Barbaud- Royer  Boisrond  was  a mulatto  and  an  author. 
{Goeg.  p.  167.) 

43.  Alexander  Dwnas,  a mulatto,  for  a long  time  command- 
ed under  Bonaparte  a legion  of  horse,  composed  of  blacks 
and  mulattoes,  “ who  were  the  terror  of  their  enemies.” 
His  exploits,  both  in  Europe  and  Africa,  (for  he  belonged  to 
the  Egyptian  expedition,)  have  been  greatly  celebrated.  Ho 
roso  to  the  rank  of  general  of  division  in  the  armies  of  France, 
and  was  “ named  by  Bonaparte  the  Horatius  Codes  of  the 
Tyro!.”  He  died  in  1807.  (Greg.  p.  100,  101.) 

•14.  L'lslct  Genff'roy  is  a mulatto  of  the  Isle  of  France.  On 
the  23d  of  August  178G  ho  wa-3  named  a corresponding  mem- 
ber of  t!io  Frcncb  Academy  of  sciences,  and  has  “ regularly 
transmitted”  to  tint  learned  society  “meteorological  observa- 
tions, an  1 so.motimos  hydrographical  journals.”  Among  the 


52 


latter  Is  a memoir  of  a voyage  whieh  he  made  to  the  island  of 
Madagascar,  accompanied  with  a map  of  the  coast.  That 
memoir,  which  showed  a man  “ versed  in  botany,  natural 
philosophy,  geology,  and  astronomy,”  was  presented  to  the 
National  Institute,  who  were  expected  to  publish  it.  “ His 
map  of  the  isl^s  of  France  and  Reunion,  delineated  according 
to  astronomical  observations,”  was  published  in  France  in  1797 
“ by  order  of  the  minister  of  marine/’  “ A new  edition,  con- 
fected from  drawings  transmitted  by  the  author,  was  publish- 
ed in  1802.”  Lislet  has  established  a scientific  society  in  the 
Isle  of  France  ; and  as  late  as  the  year  1F06  he  was  an  officer 
of  artillery  and  guardian  of  the  depot  of  maps  and  plans  of 
the  island.  {Greg  p.  179 — 182.  Rees  under  Man.) 

45.  Paul  Cuffee  was  born  on  one  of  the  Elizabeth  Islands 
near  New-Bedford,  in  the  county  of  Bristol  and  state  ofMas- 
sachusetts,  in  1769.  His  father  was  a native  of  Africa,  and 
once  a slave  ; his  mother  was  one  of  the  aborigines  of  America. 
By  industry  and  enterprise,  guided  by  an  uncommon  share  of 
“ plain  sense  and  practical  wisdom,”  he  arose  from  poverty  to 
opulence.  He  was  largely  concerned  in  navigation,  and  in 
many  voyages,  particularly  to  Russia,  England,  Africa,  the  West 
Indies,  and  the  southern  States,  commanded  his  own  vessel. 
A man  of  sterling  integrity  and  active  benevolence,  of  modest 
and  dignified  manners,  he  was  known  and  honoured  by  persons 
of  the  first  respectability  in  England  and  the  United  States. 
Few,  it  has  been  said,  could  remain  long  in  his  presence  with- 
out forgetting  their  prejudice  against  colour,  and  feeling  their 
hearts  expand  with  juster  sentiments  towards  the  most  injured 
portion  of  the  human  family. 

For  the  last  twenty  years  his  mind  was  chiefly  occupied  with 
the  interests  of  his  African  brethren.  With  a view  to  their 
improvement  he  made  a voyage  to  Africa  and  England  in  1811, 
in  a vessel  of  his  own,  commanded  by  his  nephew  Thomas 
Wainer.  In  1813  he  carried  out  to  Sierra-Leone  nine  African 
families,  consisting  of  thirty-eight  persons,  at  an  expense  to 
himself  of  more  than  three  thousand  dollars.  He  died  Sept. 
7,  1817,  leaving  an  estate  valued  at  <^20,000. 

He  left  three  brothers  in  Massachusetts,  all  “independent 


53 


fermers  and  three  sisters,  who  “ preside  over  their  families 
with  propriety  and  reputation.”  [Memoir  of  Paul  Cuffee, pub- 
lished in  the  JVew-York  Spectator  for  Oct.  10,  1817.  Rev.  Peter 
JVilliams'  Discourse  on  the  death  of  Capt.  Paul  Cuffee.'\ 

bISTINGUISHED  AFRICANS  AND  MULATT0E3  NOW  LIVING  IN  THE 
UNITED  STATES. 

46.  Msalom  Jones,  minister  of  an  African  church  in  Phila- 
delphia connected  with  the  Church  of  England. 

47.  John  Gloucester,  minister  of  an  African  church  in  Phi- 
ladelphia connected  with  the  General  Assembly. 

48.  Richard  Scott,  minister  of  an  African  church  in  Phila- 
delphia in  the  Baptist  connexion. 

49.  Peter  Williams,  minister  of  an  African  church  in  the 
city  of  New-York  connected  with  the  Church  of  England,  and 
son  of  Peter  Williams,  sen.  a respectable  tobacconist  in  that 
city.  Mr.  Williams’  discourse  on  the  death  of  Capt.  Paul  Cuffee, 
though  in  a few  expressions  it  betrays  an  imperfect  education, 
is  on  the  whole  a specimen  of  talents  and  taste  by  no  means  in- 
ferior to  what  is  generally  heard  from  the  pulpit.  Take  the 
following  samples.  “His  countenance  was  serious,  but  mild  ; 
his  speech  and  habit  plain  and  unostentatious  ; his  deportment 
dignified  and  prepossessing,  blending  gravity  with  modesty  and 
sweetness,  and  firmness  with  gentleness  and  humility.  His 
whole  exterior  indicated  a man  of  respectability  and  piety.” 
“ He  rose  like  the  sun,  diffusing  wider  and  wider  the  rays  of 
his  beneficence  ; until,  having  attained  his  zenith,  even  the 
nations  be3'ond  the  seas  were  made  to  rejoice  in  his  beams.” 
“ Such  was  his  public  character.  Such  was  the  warmth  of 
his  benevolence,  the  activity  of  his  zeal,  and  the  extent  of  his 
labours,  in  behalf  of  the  African  race.  Indeed  his  whole  life 
may  be  said  to  liave  been  spent  in  their  service.  To  their  be- 
nefit he  devoted  the  acquisitions  of  his  youth,  the  time  of  his 
later  years,  and  even  tlic  thoughts  of  his  dying  pillow.”  “ His 
voyages  are  all  over ; he  has  made  his  last,  and  it  was  to  the 
haven  of  eternal  repose.”  “ Draw  near,  but  let  it  be  with 
respectful  steps.  That  grave  is  peculiarly  consecrated  to  sor- 


54 


Upw.  dvcr  It  Europe  and  America  mourn  ; and  Africa,  un-- 
happy,  bereaved  Africa,  pours  a deluge  of  tears.” 

50.  Thomas  Paul,  minister  of  an  African  church  in  Boston 
in  the  Baptist  connexion. 

51.  A black  man,  whose  name  is  not  Icnown,  is  minister  of 
a very  large  African  church  in  Savannah,  Georgia. 

52.  Mr.  Chavis,  a man  of  education,  has  been  employed 
for  several  years  as  amissionary  by  the  General  Assembly  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States. 

55.  Mr.  Miller.  The  following  account  of  a funeral  which 
occurred  at  Alexandria,  in  the  county  of  Huntington,  Pennsyl- 
vania, Nov.  5,  1817,  with  the  accompanying  remarks,  appear- 
ed in  the  newspapers  immediately  after.  “ A very  interesting, 
elo(iuent,  and  appropriate  sermon  was  yesterday  preached  on 
the  occasion  to  a large  audience,  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Miller,  a 
black  man.  The  style  and  manner  of  this  sermon  show  the 
preacher  to  be  a man  of  extensive  information  and  of  great 
strength  of  mind.  He  is  another  evidence  that  talent  and  ge- 
nius are  confined  to  no  particular  colour  ; that  our  boasted  su- 
periority arises  more  from  education  than  from  nature.  Mr. 
Miller,  it  is  said,  is  a regular  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church.” 

54.  Prince  Saunders,  though  not  at  present  living  in  the 
United  States,  may  properly  be  introduced  here.  After  re- 
ceiving a liberal  education  in  New-England,  and  keeping  a 
school  for  some  time  in  Boston,  (where  he  was  in  1812.)  he 
went  to  St.  Domingo  to  promote  the  education  of  the  blacks 
in  that  island.  With  a view  to  further  this  object  he  made  a 
voyage  to  England,  where  he  was  received  with  the  most  flat- 
tering courtesy  by  the  friends  of  Africa.  He  attended  the  meet- 
ing of  the  Bible  Society  in  May  181G,  and  afterwards  made  a 
speech  before  the  Managers,  in  which  he  gave  a very  in- 
teresting account  of  his  reception  in  St.  Domingo,  the  anxious 
desire  of  king  Henry  to  cstablisli  schools  and  promote  educa- 
tion among  his  subjects,  and  his  wish  to  change  the  religion 
of  his  kingdom  from  the  Catholic  to  that  of  the  Church  of  En- 
gland. A gentleman  who  was  present  assured  me  that  Saun- 
ders spoke  with  great  propriety  of  language  and  good  sense. 


and  that  his  speech  was  much  applauded.  He  received  a pre^ 
sent  of  Bibles  from  the  Managers,  and  returned  to  St.  Domingo 
to  introduce  the  Lancastrian  system  of  education.  What  a 
glorious  day  is  rising  on  St.  Domingo  ! on  two  emancipated  and 
independent  nations  of  negroes  ! The  Almighty  God  succeed 
the  noble  attempt,  and  exhibit  on  that  island  a spectacle  that 
shall  wipe  off  the  disgrace  of  Africa,  and  convince  the  world 
that  negroes  still  are  men. 

This  catalogue  might  doubtless  be  enlarged,  but  is  it  not 
enough  ? Blumenbach  boldly  affirms  “ that  entire  and  large 
provinces  of  Europe  might  be  named  in  which  it  would  be 
difficult  to  meet  with  such  good  writers,  poets,  philosophers, 
and  correspondents  of  the  French  Academy  ; and  on  the  oth- 
er hand,  that  there  is  no  savage  people  who  have  distinguish- 
ed themselves  by  such  examples  of  perfectibility,  and  even  ca- 
pacity for  scientific  cultivation.”  (Hecs  under  Man.) 

H. 

In  the  foregoing  enumeration  there  was  unhappily  an  omis- 
sion of  the  jVew-Vork  African  Free-School,  thought  to  be  “ the 
oldest  and  most  efficient  establishment  of  the  kind  in  the  Uni- 
ted States.”  The  author  regrets  the  omission,  and  is  much 
indebted  to  the  benevolence  of  Isaac  M.  Ely,  Esq.  for  the 
means  of  laying  before  the  public  the  following  account  of  this 
interesting  institution. 

‘ The  school  was  established  by  the  New-York  Manumis- 
sion Society  in  178G.  It  laboured  under  many  embarrassments 
for  several  years,  and  was  supported  exclusively  by  the  Socie- 
ty and  private  subscriptions.  It  finally  succeeded  in  gaining 
; the  attention  of  the  city  corporation,  who  generously  aided 
its  funds  by  some  donations,  and  also  presented  the  institution 
with  two  lots  of  ground  in  a central  part  of  the  city,  on  which 
the  Manumission  Society  have  erected  a school-house  suffi- 
f5iently  large  to  accommoilate  300  pupils.  Legacies  to  the 
amount  of  J^IOGO  have  also  been  bequeathed  ; and  the  liberal 
appropriation  by  the  state  legislature  of  a portion  of  the  cem- 
mpn  school  fand,  has  placed  tke  insHtulion  on  a permanent. 


56 


footing.  The  following  extract  from  the  report  of  the  tru&'* 
tees,  made  in  Jannary  last,  will  show  the  state  of  the  school 
and  their  opinion  of  its  utility. 

“ The  Lancastrian  sj'stem  of  education,  with  some  modifi- 
cations, has  been  introduced  into  the  school  with  great  advan- 
tage. More  than  250  children,  [‘  there  are  now  308,’]  of 
both  sexes,  and  of  various  ages  from  six  to  fifteen,  are  now 
daily  taught  spelling,  reading,  writing,  arithmetic,  and  geogra- 
phy ; and  the  trustees  have  it  in  contemplation  to  provide  for 
the  instruction  of  the  female  scholars  in  the  useful  branches 
of  needle-work.  Nearly  three  thousand  children  have  sha- 
red in  its  advantages,  and  procured  an  education,  which,  though 
limited  in  extent,  has  been  more  or  less  useful  to  them. — 
^Numbers  have  had  the  ambition  and  ability  to  pursue  various 
honest  and  honourable  avocations ; their  morals  and  manners 
have  been  improved,  and  they  are  now  esteemed  useful  mem- 
bers of  the  community.  Neither  are  instances  wanting  of 
persons  educated  at  this  school  who;have  exhibited  specimens 
of  original  composition  highly  creditable  to  their  talents  and 
acquirements;  one  of  whom  has  now  the  charge- yf’a  school 
on  Long-Island,  which  he  conducts  with  propriety  and  reputa^ 
tion.  From  the  success  which  has  attended  the  institution^ 
and  the  improvements  made  by  the  pupils,  they  think  may 
fairly  be  inferred  the  benefit  and  importance  of  education  to 
the  descendants  of  Africa.” 

“ The  African,”  says  Sir  James  Yeo  (who  has  for  a consi- 
derable time  been  stationed  on  the  coast  of  Africa,)  “ is  very 
superior  in  intellect  and  capacity  to  the  generality  of  Indians 
in  North  America.  They  are  more  social  and  friendly  to 
strangers  ; and  except  in  the  vicinity  of  European  settlements, 
are  of  a fine  and  noble  race  of  men.”  {Sir  James  Lucas 
Yeo's  Letter  to  John  Wilson  Crocker,  Esq.  published  in  the  JYew- 
York  Spectator  for  /November  7,  1817.) 

Many  authors  have  supported  the  opinion  “ that  the  intel- 
lectual faculties  of  negroes  are  susceptible  of  the  same  deve- 


57 


lopement  as  those  of  the  whites,”  and  some  in  their  zeal  have 
even  gone  so  far  as  to  yield  to  the  blacks  a superiority.  {Greg. 
p.  157.)  Travellers  who  have  visited  different  parts  of  Afri- 
ca, have  “ found  negroes  with  a keen  and  penetrating  mind, 
a sound  judgment,  taste,  and  delicacy.”  {id.  p 158.)  “ In  ge- 
neral they  have  a very  retentive  memory.”  {id.  p.  160.) 
“ They  possess  the  mimic  art  to  such  a degree  that  they  can 
rival  »ur  modern  Garricks.”  “ They  are  naturally  eloquent,” 
and  travellers  have  been  “ often  astonished  with  specimens 
of  this  talent.”  (iTZ.  p.  162.)  “Their  abilities  in  music  are 
such  as  to  have  been  generally  noticed.  They  play  frequent- 
ly upon  a variety  of  instruments  without  any  other  assistance 
than  their  own  ingenuity.”  {Clarkson,  \>.  109.)  Stedman  “enu- 
merates their  wind  and  stringed  instruments,  which  amount  to 
eighteen to  which  may  be  added  “ the  famous  balafou, 
formed  of  twenty  pieces  of  hard  wood,  which  emit  a sound 
similar  to  that  of  a small  organ.”  (Greg.  p.  162,163.)  “They 
have  also  tunes  of  their  own  composition,”  some  of  which 
have  been  imported  into  England,  and  “ admired  for  their 
sprightliness  and  ease.”  “Neither  are  their  talents  for  poet- 
ry less  conspicuous.  Every  occurrence,  if  their  spirits  are 
not  too  greatly  depressed,  is  turned  into  a song,”  which 
affords  “ as  high  a proof  of  their  poetical  powers  as  the 
works  of  the  most  acknowledged  poets.”  {Clarkson,  09, 
110.)  Travellers  tell  us  of  the  ingenuity  of  the  natives  of 
Africa  in  many  branches  of  manufactures,  in  tanning  and 
dying  leather,  in  making  indigo,  cordage,  pottery-ware,  in- 
struments of  agriculture,  and  curious  works  in  gold,  silver, 
and  steel.  They  “ extract  ore  from  minerals,”  and  among 
them  are  found  jewellers  and  watchmakers.  {Greg.  p.  127 — 
131.)  “ The  fabric  and  colours  of  the  Guinea  cloths  are 

proofs  of  their  native  ingenuity.”  {Rees  under  Man.)  In  the 
heart  of  Africa  there  are  “ great  towns  w'here  different  arts 
floiirish.”  {Greg.  p.  140.)  And  when  the  slaves  in  other 
countries  “ are  put  to  the  mechanical  arts,  they  do  not  disco- 
ver any  want  of  ingenuity.  They  attain  them  in  as  short  a 
time  as  the  Europeans,  and  arrive  at  a degree  of  excellence 
equal  to  that  of  their  teachers.  This  is  a fact  almost  uni- 

H 


58 


versallv  known.”  {Clarkson,  p.  109.)  “ That  they  are  ca- 

pable of  learning  all  kinds  of  the  more  delicate  manual  la- 
bours, is  proved  by  the  fact  that  nine-tenths  of  the  artificers 
in  the  West-Indies  are  negroes  : many  are  expert  carpenters, 
and  some  watchmakers.  The  drawings  and  busts  executed  by 
the  wild  Boshman  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Cape  [of  Good 
Hope,]  are  praised  by  Barrow  for  their  accuracy  of  outline 
and  correctness  of  proportion.”  Among  the  inhabitants  of 
Africa  “several  have  been  known  as  very  dexterous  sur- 
geons.” {Rees  under  Man.)  In  the  kingdom  of  Benin  the  phy- 
sicians draw  blood  by  means  of  cupping-glasses,  and  excel  in 
healing  wounds  and  overcoming  the  effects  of  poison.  In 
some  parts  of  Africa  they  have  schools,  and  advocates  to  de- 
fend their  slaves  when  brought  before  the  tribunals.  {Greg. 
p.  139,  224.) 

The  Maroons  of  the  West-Indies  and  South  America  have 
displayed  great  energy  and  prowess.  These  are  a class  of 
blacks  who  have  regained  their  liberty,  and  concealed  in  fo- 
rests and  marshes,  or  entrenched  in  mountains,  lead  a wander- 
ing life,  and  are  chiefiy  employed  in  seeking  nourishment 
and  defending  themselves  against  the  whites.  In  the  17th 
century,  when  Jamaica  was  still  under  the  dominion  of  Spain, 
a party  of  slaves  regained  their  independence,  and  increas- 
ing in  numbers  became  formidable  under  a “ brave,  skilful, 
and  enterprising”  chief.  In  1730  they  established  “aeon- 
federation  among  all  the  Maroon  tribes,”  and  compelled  the 
English  to  ackno'A  ledge  their  independence  and  cede  forever 
to  them  the  mountainous  parts  of  the  island.  Fourteen  hun- 
dred of  them  still  remain.*  In  1726  the  3Iaroons  of  Surinam 

* Accordlft^'  to  Data*  oud  Culling^  Ibe  Marooni  did  not  exist  in  Jamaica  while  the  Spanish  had  pniaei- 
aion  Their  account  of  the  origin  of  tins  people  is  as  follows.  When  the  English  conquered  the  island  in 
1655.  many  of  the  Spaa.iarJa  with  their  slaves  6ed  to  the  northern  woods.  In  IG53,  Arnaldo,  the  former 
governour,  made  a descent  on  the  isUnd  from  Cuba  with  a large  force,  hut  was  repelled.  Shortly  after 
be  returned  and  put  himself  at  the  head  of  the  Spaniards  and  sUves  whe  had  secreted  themseliesin  the 
woods  but  was  again  defeated,  and  all  th.e  Spaniards  were  forced  to  leave  the  island.  Before  they  em- 
barked many  of  the  slaves,  unwilling  to  follow  their  masters,  (led  to  the  mountains,  (Dallas’ History  tf 

the  Maroons  vnl.  1.  p.  22— 25-  Cutting’s  History  of  Jamaica,  prefixed  to  the  former,  p.  29 — 39.)  Th 
arose  Ihe  Maroons,  a nsme  which  has  been  said  to  mean  “ wild”  people,  but  hy  Dallae,  *•  bog-hunters,” 
(vnl.  I.  p.  26.)  their  chief  employment  being  to  hunt  the  wild  boar.  (p.  61,  87,  102,  133.) 

Dallai  proceeds.  In  1690  Ibere  was  an  insurrection  of  slaves  in  the  parish  orClarendon,  and  the  insur- 
genU  found  shallax  in  the  southern  mounUins,  where  from  time  to  time  they  were  juined  by  tefvgees  fruui 


59 


ebtained  their  liberty  with  the  sword,  and  forced  their  oppres- 
sors to  a treaty.  The  Maroons  of  Jacmel  have  for  near  a 
century  been  the  terror  of  St.  Domingo.  [Greg.  p.  92,  93, 
107,  108,  141.  Rees  under  Jamaica.) 

“ If  other  examples  of  African  genius  should  be  required, 
suffice  it  to  say  that  they  can  be  produced  in  abundance,  and 
that  if  we  were  allowed  to  enumerate  instances  of  African 
gratitude,  patience,,  fidelity,  honour,  as  so  many  instances  of 
good  sense  and  a sound  understanding,  we  fear  that  thousands 
of  the  enlightened  Europeans  would  have  occasion  to  blush.” 
{Clarkson,  p.  112.) 

This  introduces  the  subject  of  the  disposition  of  Africans. 
On  this  point  the  testimonies  are  clear  and  decisive.  “ We 
see  no  reason,”  says  one,  “ to  doubt  that  the  negroes,  taken 
altogether,  are  not  inferior  to  any  variety  of  the  human  race 
in  natural  goodness  of  heart.”  {Rees  under  Man.)  “ All  un- 
prejudiced authors  who  speak  of  negroes,”  says  another,  “ do 
justice  to  their  natural  disposition  and  virtues.”  {Greg.  p.  1 10.) 
The  philanthropic  Gregoire,  member  of  the  Conservative 
Senate  and  of  the  National  Institute  of  France,  has  recorded 
many  instances  of  their  fidelity,  mildness,  affection,  and  gene- 
rosity. (p.  107 — 124.)  “ The  gratitude  of  the  blacks  is  such 

that  they  often  expose  their  life  to  serve  that  of  their  bene- 
factor.” {id.  p.  119.)  Even  in  Africa  they  are  “humane, 
obliging,  and  hospitable.”  Among  them  are  found  “men  of 
probity,  models  of  filial,  conjugal,  and  paternal  affection,  who 
know  all  the  energies  and  refinements  of  virtue.”  {Greg.  p. 
114,  115.) 

The  fortitude  and  patience  of  the  blacks  have  been  particu- 


the  planUtion*.  At  length  being  hard  preasod  by  the  whites,  they  chose  the  hrareand  enterprising  Cudjoe 
fur  their  leader.  It  was  about  the  year  ]T39,  after  Cudjoe  bad  become  powerful,  th.\t  this  tribe  was  6rct 
included  under  the  common  name  •/“  M.’«roons,  By  1733  Cudjoe  had  formed  a cenneaion  with  the  eas'ern 
Itlaroons,  and  had  united  all  the  tribes  on  the  island  in  a common  interest,  (p.  26— ’36*  46.)  Concealed 
among  the  cockpits  and  fnslneues  of  the  mountains,  they  kept  the  whole  country  in  alarm,  and  at  last  com- 
pelled the  English  to  acknowledge  their  freedom  and  cede  to  them  certain  districts  in  their  neighbourhood. 
The  treaty  with  the  western  Maroons  was  made  in  1738,  and  1500  acres  were  granted  to  them,  A simi- 
lar treaty  was  made  with  the  eastern  Maroons  the  year  following,  (p.  47—65,  75,  76.)  At  that  time 
there  were  only  600  of  this  people  on  lii^  islinJ  ; in  1770  there  were  885  ; »n  1773. 1028  ; in  1778,  1400. 
(p.  120.)  The  principal  tribe  baaiioce  been  transported  to  Sierra-Leone:  but  Rees,  who  took  bia  account 
from  the  estimate  of  1778,  reckons  still  the  number  at  l iOO.  And  there  is  little  doubt  Ihat  the  increase  in 
40  years  has  been  sufScient  to  repair  that  loss. 


60 


larly  noticed.  “ They  know  how  to  support  pain  with  a cou- 
rage truly  heroic.  History  is  full  of  traits  of  their  intrepidity. 
Punishments  of  the  most  horrid  description,  multiplied  by  the 
cruelty  of  the  whites,  have  afforded  proofs  of  this.”  {Greg. 
p.  91,  92  ) 

We  cannot  expect  to  find  the  same  industry  in  warm  coun- 
tries, as  in  those  where  the  inhabitants  are  braced  by  a cold- 
er sky,  and  draw  the  fruits  with  greater  difficulty  from  the 
earth  ; much  less  can  we  look  for  the  love  of  labour  in  a 
state  of  bondage.  But  the  charge  of  indolence  against  the 
Africans  has  been  exaggerated.  The  inhabitants  of  Benin, 
principally  occupied  in  agriculture,  “ are  A^ery  industrious 
those  of  Axiam  on  the  Gold  Coast  “are  laborious;”  those  of 
Boulam  are  “ inured  to  industry  those  of  Senegal  “ work  with 
ardour  ;”  those  of  Jagro  are  “ celebrated  for  an  activity  which 
enriches  their  country those  of  Cabomonte  and  Fido  or  Jui- 
do,  are  “ indef»tigable  cultivators.”  “ Economical  of  their 
soil,  they  scarcely  leave  a foot-path  to  farm  a communication 
between  the  different  possessions.  They  reap  one  day  and 
the  next  sow  the  same  earth.”  {Greg.  p.  90,  91,  223.)  “ The 
natives  at  Accra,  [“  or  Accarah,”  which  is  situated  on  the  Gold 
Coast,]  are  very  superior  in  civilization,  appearance,  and  man- 
ners to  any  others  on  the  coast.  Their  town  is  clean  and 
neat,  and  in  their  houses  they  have  all  the  useful  and  neces- 
sary household  utensils,  arranged  Avith  as  much  order  as  in  a 
cottage  in  England.  This  is  to  be  attributed  to  their  having 
had  for  many  years  a free  intercourse  with  the  Ashantees 
and  other  nations  of  the  interior,  and  to  their  being  naturally 
more  industrious  and  fond  of  agriculture.”  {Sir  James  Lucas 
Yeo's  Letter  to  John  Wilson  Crocker,  Esq.') 


K. 

Grandville  Sharp,  in  conjunction  with  the  London  Society, 
had  formed  a scheme  “ for  the  relief  of  poor  blacks.”  Thorn- 
ton had  projected  a plan  for  “ transporting  emancipated  ne- 
groes from  America  to  Africa.”  “ Doctor  Smeatham  selected 
Sierra-Leone.”  “ After  a residence  of  four  years  in  Africa,” 


61 


he  “ returned  to  Europe  to  concert  measures  relative  to  his 
plan  of  free  colonies.  He  died  in  17B6.”  “ Wilberforce, 

Clarkson,  and  others,  assisted  with  money,  writings,  and  coun- 
sels.” “ A few  thousand  pounds”  were  subscribed.  “Go- 
vernment engaged  to  defray  the  expense  of  the  transportatioa 
of  the  Africans,  and  to  provide  for  their  susteaance  for  a few 
nonths.  Naimbanna,  king  of  the  region  of  Sierra-Leone, 
ceded  a portion  of  his  territory  for  the  use  of  the  colony.’* 
“The  first  embarkation”  took  place  “in  1786.”  The  com- 
pany consisted  of  “ some  whites  necessary  for  the  direction 
of  the  establishment,  and  400  negroes,”  who  had  been  “ wan- 
dering in  the  streets  of  London,  without  property  and  with- 
out friends,”  and  “ generally  ignorant.”  “ The  vessel  was 
delayed  in  her  voyage”  and  did  not  arrive  till  early  the  next 
year.  On  the  very  spot  where  the  English  had  made  their 
first  depredations  upon  Africa  in  1562,  there,  unconscious  of 
the  coincidence,  they  “in  1787”  deposited  the  first  cargo  of 
her  restored  sons.  “ The  passengers  arrived  in  feeble  health,” 
and  before  they  had  time  to  erect  many  cottages  “ the  rainy 
season  set  in,”  which  continues  in  that  climate  from  “the  end 
of  April  to  the  middle  of  October.”  “ Exposure  to  the  rains,” 
together  with  “ imprudence,”  and  in  some  instances  “ intem- 
perance,” “ swept  away  one  quarter  of  their  number  in  a 
few  months.”  The  next  year,  1788,  “ Grandville  Sharp,  at 
his  own  expense,  sent  a vessel  of  180  tons  with  succours”  for 
the  infant  settlement.  “ He  had  previously  published  his  plan 
of  a constitution  and  of  legislation  for  the  colonies.”  But  eve- 
ry effort  proved  abortive.  “ In  1790  the  crew  of  a British 
slave-vessel  set  fire  to  a town  in  the  vicinity  of  the  colony. 
The  natives  in  revenging  the  wrong  involved  the  colony  in 
the  consequences  of  the  dispute.  The  colonists — were  en- 
tirely dispersed,  and  their  little  establishment  broken  up.”  So 
true  it  is  that  the  first  experiment  “ met  with  very  little  suc- 
cess until  it  was  aided  by  another,”  undertaken  “ upon  better 
principles.” 

In  this  state  of  things  a number  of  gentlemen  in  1791  ob- 
tained an  act  of  incorporation  under  the  name  of  the  “ Sierra- 
Leone  Company.”  They  lost  no  time.  The  very  same  year 


62 


their  agent  collected  the  scattered  colonists  and  made  a new 
beginning  upon  improved  principles.  The  next  year^  1792, 
1131  blacks,  who  had  formerly  been  slaves  in  the  United 
States,  and  had  fought  in  the  British  ranks  during  the  revolu- 
tionary war,  were  a)  their  own  request  transported  from  No- 
va-Scotia  to  Sierra-Leone.  “ The  same  year  about  a hundred 
whites”  were  added  to  their  number,  “ nearly  half”  of  whom 
“were  the  company’s  agents  or  artificers,”  and  the  rest  were 
“ soldiers  or  settlers  with  their  wives  and  children.”  The 
want  of  houses  to  shelter  so  many  during  the  rainy  season, 
caused  a second  sweeping  mortality.  Yet  the  colony  from  that 
moment  “ began  to  assume  a more  regular  form.  They  clear- 
ed the  land  with  eagerness,  laid  out  the  streets  for  a village, 
and  erected  temporary  huts.”  The  village  they  called  Free- 
town. Another  has  since  arisen  at  a little  distance  which  they 
have  named  Granville-Town,  after  the  eminent  philanthropist 
to  whom  they  have  been  so  much  indebted. 

In  1794  Freetown  contained  400  houses  with  a garden  to 
each ; and  they  counted  in  their  schools  about  300  children, 
of  whom  40  were  natives.  But  their  prosperity  was  soon  to 
be  overcast.  That  year  a French  squadron,  aided  by  two 
unprincipled  Americans,  wantonly  attacked  the  town,  “ dis- 
persed the  inhabitants,  plundered  the  warehouses,  burned 
the  church,”  together  with  “most  of  the  dwelling-houses, 
several  stores,  and  the  small  vessels  in  the  river ; killed  the 
poultry  and  stock,  scattered  and  defaced  the  library,  broke  in 
pieces  the  mathematical  and  astronomical  instruments  of  the 
surveyor,  destroyed  or  threw  into  confusion  the  collections, 
drawings,  and  curiosities  of  the  botanist,  demolished  the  copy- 
ing and  printing-presses, — and  converted  a rising  village  into  a 
heap  of  ruins.”  The  company’s  largest  ship,  at  that  mo- 
ment approaching  the  harbour  with  a valuable  cargo,  fell  into 
their  hands.  The  whole  loss  was  estimated  at  £400,000,  or 
5^1,770,000.  The  part  which  the  company  sustained  was  reck- 
oned at  £40,000,  or  ^177,600,  exclusive  of  buildings  which 
had  cost  £15,000,  or  ^66,600,  making  in  the  whole  £55,000, 
or  5^244,200.  The  colonists  were  left  with  inadequate  sup- 
plies of  provisions,  without  medicines,  and  without  shelter 


63 


from  the  weather.  Before  cottages  could  he  erected  the  rainy, 
season  commenced,  and  a great  mortality  ensued.  The  go- 
vernour  made  great  exertions  to  obtain  provision*  from  the 
neighbouring  country,  and  the  Board  of  Directors  made  the 
earliest  possible  returns  from  England. 

All  means  were  employed  to  repair  the  disaster,  and  they 
were  not  employed  in  vain.  “ The  colony  survived  the  storm. 
The  people  became  more  industrious  and  submissive  to  au- 
thority. The  lands  were  better  cultivated,  and  the  tribes  in 
the  vicinity  gave  stronger  testimonies  of  their  attachment. 
Ever  since  the  colony  has  been  increasing  in  stability,  popu- 
lation, and  resources.” 

In  October  1800  the  settlement  was  enlarged  by  a company 
of  3Iaroons  from  Jamaica.*  Before  the  9th  of  May  1814, 
“ 6925  negro-captive.s  had  been  taken  from  slave-ships,”  “ more 
than  half”  of  whom  became  ” permanent  settlers”  in  the  co- 
lony. In  1815  Captain  Paul  Cuffee  carried  out  from  the  Uni- 
ted States  nine  black  families,  consisting  of  eighteen  adults 
and  twenty  children  ; some  of  whom  wrote  back  to  their  friends 
a very  animating  account  of  Sierra-Leone.  “ The  present 
population  is  between  four  and  five  thousands.” 

The  climate  becomes  “ more  favourable  in  proportion  as 

* After  the  p«tce  of  1738  anj  3D  the  Marooci  of  Jain«ioa  remained  quiet  till  the  year  1795i  when  the 
j%rincipal  tribe,  that  of  Trelawoey  town,  rebelled.  (DalU»’ IXiit.  of  Marocni,  toI.  I.p.  120 — 123.)  The 
Koglitb  were  so  alarmed  (hat  after  many  fruitless  attempts  to  reduce  them,  they  were  induced  to  impoit 
from  Cuba  a hundred  dog;i,  with  forty  Spanish  cbaieeurs,  to  hoot  them  throug^b  tha  mountaius  like  beasts  of 
jirey.  This  brought  ibe  poor  creatures  to  terms.  lo  the  months  of  January,  February,  and  March,  1736, 
they  came  in  one  after  another,  to  the  number  of  485.  (besides  women  and  children,  if  I understand  the  his.* 
lerian,)  and  submitted  to  general  Walpole,  on  the  fnitb  of  a treaty  made  by  him  and  ratified  by  the  goverooor, 
engaging  that  they  should  not  be  sent  out  of  the  island,  (vol.  II,  p.  This  article  the  Council 

and  Assembly  afterwards  refused  to  eiecute  ; and  to  the  great  mortification  of  the  geoeia),  whe  in  conie- 
queoce  resigned  his  eoramission  in  disgust,  and  refused  a sword  which  the  legislature  had  voted  him,  resol* 
Tcd  forthwith  to  banish  the  Maroons  to  ^'orlh  America,  (p,  172—188.)  The  poor  negroes  with  (beii- 
ihmilies  sailed  for  Nova  Scotia  June  6,  1796,  and  after  losing  seventeen  of  their  numboron  the  pottage,  ar- 
rived at  Halifax  in  difiTerent  vessels  on  the  21st  and  23d  of  July.  (p.  203^4  ) The  whole  company  th»  a 
amounted  to  about  550.  (p.  2l3,  272,  note  ) Finding  Ibemselves  unable  to  oiidure  the  severity  of  tho 

climate,  they  earnestly  entreated  to  be  conveyvd  to  tome  warmer  region,  (p.  234— *238,  252— 25G.) 
At  length  after  fuur  tedious  winterr,  the  expense  of  supporting  (hem  proved  so  great  that  they  were  arn: 
o(T  to  Sierra ‘Leone  in  the  autumn  of  1800,  and  arrived  iu  the  month  of  October.  Upon  their  ariival  th<  v 
had  an  immediate  opportunity  to  show  what  tho  colony  had  gamed  by  the  accession.  Some  ofthe  JSova-Sco 
tians  as  they  were  called,  (those  who  had  been  transported  from  Nova-*Scotia  eight  years  before,)  wrro  iu 
a state  of  iusurrection,  and  tho  Maroons  readily  leut  their  aid  to  quell  the  insurants.  They  have  sine* 
boen  of  oascntial  service  in  keeping  the  muUooui  lu  awe,  3nd  uare  pierec  anieug  the  best  (HateriaTs  ef 
which  (he  colotry  is  coMpesed.  (p.  284- '2aiG.) 


64 


the  land  ig  cleared.”  The  soil  In  the  immediate  vicinity  is 
not  strong,  but  “ well  rewards  the  labour  of  cultivation.”  The 
principal  exports  are  “ rice,  cotton,  gold,  and  ivory.” 

The  progress  of  the  colony  towards  civilization,  as  well  as 
its  influence  on  the  neighbouring  country,  has  been  checked 
by  the  bad  materials  partially  employed  in  its  composition, 
and  no  less  by  the  disastrous  effects  of  the  slave-trade.  Yet 
both  have  on  the  whole  been  such  as  to  afford  encouragement 
to  the  friends  of  African  improvement.  Sir  James  Lucas  Yeo, 
indeed,  who  seems  out  of  temper  with  every  thing  in  Africa 
that  is  English,  and  determined  that  no  colonies  shall  exist 
but  on  the  Gold  Coast,  falls  foul  of  the  people  of  Sierra-Le- 
one because  they  have  not  civilized  Africa  in  a day.  In  his 
impatient  eye  the  colony  “ is  still  in  a most  deplorable  state 
and  though  he  affects  to  praise  the  present  governour,  Colonel 
M’Carthy,  he  more  than  hints  at  the  existence  of  “ great 
abuses  and  mismanagements,”  with  an  obvious  willingness 
that  the  colonial  department  should  overhear.  But  other  wit- 
nesses view  things  in  a different  light.  The  yearly  reports 
of  the  Sierra-Leone  Company,  as  condensed  by  Gregoire,  in- 
form us  that  the  negroes  in  general  are  “ pioUs,  sober,  cor- 
rect, good  husbands,  and  good  fathers  ;”  that  “they  give  num- 
berless proofs  of  their  honest  sentiments,”  and  “ enjoy  all 
the  advantages  of  a social  state  that  they  “ exercise  civil 
functions,  and  among  others  those  of  jurymen,  with  firmness, 
mildness,  and  justice ;”  that  the  Nova-Scotians,  who  were 
mostly  Methodists  and  Baptists,  worship  regularly  in  their 
“ meeting-houses,”  and  are  kept  in  order  by  “ the  inspection 
of  five  or  six  black  preachers.”  One  who  has  had  access  to 
the  best  authorities,  says,  “ Civil  laws  are  obeyed,  the  chil- 
dren are  carefully  instructed  in  the  schools,  and  the  people 
regularly  assemble  on  the  sabbath  in  different  places  for  the 
worship  of  God. — The  internal  state  of  the  colony  improves 
every  year,  and  its  future  prospects  greatly  brighten.” 

Nor  has  its  influence  upon  the  surrounding  country  been 
inconsiderable.  Besides  its  successful  exertions  in  opposing 
the  slave-trade,  it  “ has  done  much  to  introduce  agriculture 
and  some  of  the  arts  among  the  native  tribes.”  The  latter 


65- 


“show  an  increasing'dlsposition  to  cultivate  thelrnands,  and 
to  adopt  European  habits  of  dress  and  living.  The  children 
of  the  princes  and  others  have  been  educated  in  the  colonial 
schools,”  and  many  of  the  natives  are  employed  in  the  colo- 
ny as  labourers.  The  confidence  of  the  tribes  is  secured, 
and  the  word  of  God  is  scattered  among  them  in  the  English 
and  Susoo  languages.  (Greg.  p.  147 — 151.  Morse's  Geog. 
Memoir  of  Paul  Cyffee.  Sir  James  Lucas  Yeo's  Letter.  Three 
Numbers  on  African  Colonization,  published  in  the  Neza-York 
Spectator  for  October  21,  24,  27,  1817.) 


L. 

The  American  Colonization  Society  was  formed  in  the  city 
of  Washington  on  the  first  day  of  the  present  year.  The 
honourable  Bushrod  Washington  is  president.  The  Auxiliary 
Societies,  in  the  order  of  their  formation,  are  those  of  Mew- 
Jersey,  Maryland,  Philadelphia,  and  Frederick  County,  Vir- 
ginia ; to  which  I may  now  add  the  Society  of  New-York,  or- 
ganized the  beginning  of  Movember.  A sixth  Auxiliary  Soci- 
ety has  been  formed  in  the  state  of  Ohio 

Under  the  patronage  of  the  parent  Society,  the  Reverend 
Samuel  John  Mills  and  Mr.  Ebenezer  Burgess  sailed  from 
Philadelphia  for  England  about  the  middle  of  November.  It 
is  their  object,  after  conferring  with  the  English  philanthro- 
pists, to  visit  different  parts  of  the  African  coast,  and  gain  all 
possible  information  respecting  the  fittest  places  for  colonies, 
and  the  best  manner  of  establishing  and  conducting  them. 


M. 

AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  AFRICAN  SCHOOL. 

At  a meeting  of  the  Synod  of  New-York  and  New-Jersey 
in  the  city  of  New-York,  October  1816,  “an  overture  was 
laid  before  the  Synod  by  the  Committee  of  Overtures,  on  the 
subject  of  establishing  an  African  School,' — for  the  purpose  of 

T 


66 


educating'  young  men  of  colour,  to  be  employed  as  teachers 
and  preacliers  among  the  people  of  colour  in  these  States  and 
elsewhere.”  The  business  was  referred  to  a committee,  who 
reported  in  favour  of  the  measure  ; after  which  the  following 
minute  was  adopted.  / 

“ The  Synod  will  annually  appoint  by  ballot  a Board  of 
twelve  Directors,  consisting  of  six  ministers  and  six  laymen, 
who  shall  be  empowered,  under  the  direction  of  the  Synod, 
to  fix  the  place  for  the  School,  to  collect  funds,  to  employ  a 
teacher  or  teachers,  to  visit  the  School,  to  dismiss  or  reprove 
as  circumstances  may  require,  and  to  superintend  all  the  con- 
cerns of  the  establishment. 

The  Board  shall  appoint  their  own  officers,  including  a trea- 
surer, and  shall  make  their  own  by-laws,  which,  together  with 
their  minutes  and  a general  report  of  their  proceedings,  they 
shall  annually  submit  to  Synod.  [It  has  been  since  ordered 
that  five  shall  constitute  a quorum.] 

Those  who  are  admitted  into  the  School  must  come  w'ell 
recommended,  afford  evidence  of  talents,  discretion,  and  piety, 
and  be  able  to  read  and  write.” 

The  Board  was  then  elected  ; and  in  the  course  of  the  year 
adopted  the  follow'ing  regulations  and  plan  of  the  School,  which 
the  Synod  have  since  approved. 

REGULATIOXS. 

7.  The  officers  of  the  Board  shall  consist  of  a President,  a 
Vice-President,  a Secretary,  and  a Treasurer,  to  be  chosen 
by  ballot  for  the  year. 

II.  The  President,  or  in  his  absence  the  Vice-President,  by 
the  adruce  of  two  of  the  members,  may  call  special  meetings 
of  the  Board. 

III.  The  Secretary,  besides  keeping  the  records,  shall  con- 
duct the  correspondence  of  the  Board,  and  give  each  member 
notice  of  the  time  and  place  of  meeting. 

IF^ . No  monies  shall  be  drawn  from  the  treasury  without  a 
written  order  of  the  President  or  Vice-President,  authorized 
by  the  Board. 


I 


67 

y.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Treasurer,  at  the  last  stated 
meeting  iu  the  year,  to  present  his  accounts  for  examination. 

VI.  A Standing  Committee  of  three  persons  or  more  shall 
be  chosen  for  the  year,  whose  business  it  siiall  be  to  examine 
those  who  apply  for  admission  into  the  School  in  the  intervals 
of  the  meetings  of  the  Board,  to  receive  them  at  discretion 
upon  probation,  and  provide  for  thorn  till  the  next  meeting  of 
the  Directors.  [It  has  been  since  ordered  that  two  members 
of  the  Committee  shall  constitute  a quorum.] 

VII.  There  shall  be  two  stated  meetings  of  the  Board  in  a 
year;  one  on  the  first  Tuesday  in  May  at  Newark,  at  11 
o’clock,  A.  M.  the  other  at  the  same  hour  on  the  day  preceding 
the  meeting  of  Synod,  and  at  the  place  of  its  meeting. 

Vm.  All  the  meetings  of  the  Board  shall  be  opened  and 
closed  with  prayer. 

PL.\N  OF  THE  SCHOOL. 

/.  The  School  shall  be  under  the  immediate  care  of  a 
chief  instructer,  who  shall  be  called  the  Principal.  Other 
instructers  may  be  employed  as  occasion  may  require. 

II.  The  usual  term  of  study  shall  be  at  least  four  years, 
and  longer  if  the  Board  deem  it  expedient. 

The  first  year  shall  be  devoted,  as  the -Principal  may  find 
necessarjs  to  Reading,  Writing,  Spelling,  and  learning  the 
definition  of  English  words,  but  chiefly  to  English  Grammar, 
Arithmetic,  and  Geography  ; the  second  to  the  elementary 
principlA  of  Rhetoric,  Mathematics,  Natural  Philosophy,  and 
Astronomy;  the  third  to  Theology ; the  fourth  to  Theology, 
the  elements  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  the  more  practical 
principles  of  Church  Government,  and  the  Composition  of 
Sermons. 

The  exercises  of  public  Speaking  and  Composition  shall 
he  kept  up  through  the  whole  course. 

III.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Principal,  from  the  com- 
mencement of  the  course,  to  attend  with  special  care  to  the 
religious  improvement  of  the  pupils,  to  converse  with  them 


68 


frequently  on  the  state  of  their  minds,  to  give  them  familiar 
instruction  on  the  various  branches  of  Christian  and  ministe- 
rial duty,  and  to  form  them  by  practice  to  habits  of  devotion 
and  usefulness. 

IF.  The  ordinary  time  of  entrance  shall  be  at  the  close  of 
the  fall  vacation.  There  shall  be  two  vacations  in  a year, 
of  five  weeks  each  ; one  beginning  the  day  before  the  fourth 
Tuesday  in  April,  the  other  the  day  before  the  first  Tuesday 
in  October.  There  shall  be  one  public  examination  in  a year, 
which  shall  be  held  in  the  presence  of  the  Directors  and 
others,  on  the  second  Tuesday  in  July,  at  10  o’clock,  a m. 

F.  The  Standing  Committee  shall  have  the  charge  of  pro- 
viding clothing,  books,  stationary,  and  all  necessary  articles 
for  the  pupils,  of  disposing  of  them  in  vacations,  and  of  put- 
ting them  to  labour  as  far  as  shall  be  expedient  and  practica- 
ble. They  may  employ  the  Principal  to  execute  any  part  of 
this  trust.  They  are  authorized  to  discharge  the  regular 
quarter-bills.  They  shall  keep  minutes  of  their  proceedings, 
and  submit  them  to  the  Board  at  every  stated  meeting. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Synod  in  October  1817,  the  following  mi- 
nute was  formed : 

“ Resolved,  that  a sermon  for  the  benefit  of  the  African 
School  be  preached  annually,  on  the  second  evening  after  the 
opening  of  Synod,  and  that  the  Board  appoint  the  preacher  for 
that  evening. 

Resolved,  that  it  be  recommended  to  the  congregations  un- 
der the  care  of  this  Synod  to  form  societies  to  support  the 
African  School.” 

On  the  25th  of  March  1817  the  Standing  Committee,  after 
careful  and  solemn  examination,  received  upon  probation  two 
young  men  who  had  come  well  recommended  from  a number 
of  gentlemen  in  Philadelphia ; viz.  Jeremiah  Gloucester,  son 
of  the  Rev.  John  Gloucester  of  that  city,  and  William  Pen- 
nington ; whom  they  placed  under  the  care  of  the  Hev.  John 
Ford  ofParsipany,  Morris  County,  New  Jersey.  These  young 
men  were  re-examined  by  the  Board  in  May  following,  and 


69 


taken  permanently  under  their  care.  They  still  remain  with 
Mr.  Ford,  and  by  th^ir  conduct  and  progress  give  flattering 
hopes  of  future  usefulness.  By  permission  of  Mr.  Ford  they 
have  held  a weekly  meeting  for  prayer  with  people  of  their 
own  colour,  to  whom  they  have  become  much  endeared. 

Several  other  young  men  have  been  offered  to  the  Board 
from  different  parts  of  the  United  States ; but  as  they  were 
not  able  to  read  and  write,  their  reception  was  delayed  till 
they  could  obtain  these  necessary  qualifications.  'I  he  Board 
wish  their  friends  in  every  part  of  the  country  to  understand 
that  they  are  prepared,  and  very  desirous,  to  receive  several 
more.  They  hope  not  to  be  obliged  to  turn  any  away  who 
possess  the  necessary  qualifications.  Will  there  not  be  an 
effort  made  by  the  friends  of  religion  and  humanity  in  every 
district  of  the  Union  to  look  out  for  suitable  young  men,  and 
to  provide  the  means  of  fitting  them  to  enter  the  School  ? 
Will  not  Auxiliary  Societies  be  formed  wherever  there  are  a 
few  who  partake  of  the  compassions  of  Christ,  and  feel  for 
the  sorrows  of  Africa?  The  field  is  great  and  almost  immea- 
surable, and  requii’es  the  combined  powers  of  all  the  Chris- 
tians in  the  United  States  through  a long  and  patient  exer- 
tion. 

The  Board  have  not  been  inactive.  Last  autumn  they  ap- 
pointed the  Rev.  Samuel  John  Mills  to  solicit  donations  for 
the  School  in  the  middle  States.  They  have  since  author- 
ized him  and  Mr.  Burgess|to  lay  the  object  before  the  benevo- 
lent in  England.  They  have  written  to  the  professors  of  the 
, Theological  Seminaries  of  Princeton  and  Andover,  request- 
ing the  co-operation  of  the  young  men,  at  least  in  vacations. 
Two  of  the  students  at  Andover,  Mr.  Edward  W.  Hooker  and 
Mr.  Hutchens  Taylor,  have  accepted  commissions  to  obtain 
donations  and  form  Auxiliary  Societies  in  any  part  of  the  coun- 
try which  they  may  visit.  No  others  have  offered.  The  Board 
have  appointed  the  Rev.  Messrs.  J.  F.  Huntington,  Ezra  Fisk, 
and  Henry  R.  Weed  to  perform  the  same  duties  within  the 
bounds  of  the  Presbyteries  of  Newton,  Jersey,  and  Hudson, 
and  on  Long-Island;  and  they  have  empowered  a committee 
to  designate  agents  for  the  city  ofNew-York.  The  object  of 


70 


these  appointments  is  not  so  much  to  obtain  donations,  as  to 
form  Societies  for  permanent  aid.  And  although  the  Board 
are  desirous  to  see  such  Societies  established  among  people 
of  colour,  as  a means  of  grace  and  elevation  to  them,  they 
can  rely  for  support  on  nothing  short  of  efficient  combinations 
among  the  wliites. 

Considerable  aid  however  may  be  obtained  from  the  blacks 
themselves.  Of  the  Societies  which  are  beginning  to  be  form- 
ed among  them,  there  is  one  which  deserves  to  be  set  forth 
as  a public  example.  “ The  African  Association  of  New- 
Brunswick”  was  organized  on  the  first  day  of  the  present 
year,  for  the  sole  purpose  of  aiding  the  operations  of  the 
Synod.  Every  free  person  of  colour  pajs  60  cents  at  en- 
trance, and  one  dollar  annually.  Every  slave  must  bring  a 
written  permission  from  his  master,  and  pay  25  cents  a year. 
Females  are  admitted,  but  do  not  vote. 

This  interesting  Society  have  already  paid  into  the  treasury 
of  the  Board  ^41  55,  besides  their  part  of  the  collection 
which  was  taken  up  when  the  sermon  was  preached  before 
them,  which,  with  the  addition  of  50  cents  sent  in  next  morn- 
ing b}^  a young  female  slave,  amounted  to  ^ t 15;  making  in 
the  whole  ^-18  70  which  the  coloured  people  of  a single 
town  have  given  in  one  year. 

I conversed  with  Peter  Upshur  the  Moderator  of  this  Socie- 
ty, and  found  him  a man  of  sense  and  apparent  piety.  lie  is 
about  48  3'ears  of  age,  with  an  intelligeatbeye,  a large  and 
prominent  forehead,  and  a general  physiognomy  indicative  of 
vigorous  iatellect.  He  is  a member  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hun- 
tington’s church,  prays  regularly  in  his  family,  is  much  re- 
spected by  the  whites,  and  exerts  a benign  inlluence  over  his 
coloured  brethren.  He  was  once  a slave  in  Northampton 
count}^  Maryland.  In  1787,  when  about  17  years  of  age,  he 
ran  awaj'^  from  his  master  and  came  into  the  state  of  New- 
Jersey.  He  was  soon  taken  up,  and  having  no  papers  to  show, 
■was  cast  into  prison.  For  ;^10,  the  cost  of  the  process,  he 
was  bought  out  and  held  a slave  for  nine  years.  In  this  time, 
by  working  at  night,  he  supported  tlie  expense  of  learning  to 
read.  At  length  by  tlie  interference  of  some  benevolent  per? 


71 


sons  his  old  master  was  brought  on  from  Bfaryland,  who  upon 
receiving  {^100  gave  him  his  freedom,  Dec.  1,  1796.  Besides 
serving  nine  years,  Upshur  had  to  refund  the  §16,  and  four 
more  which  had  been  expended  in  an  attempt  to  detain  him. 
He  was  obliged  to  pay  §112  60  for  the  freedom  of  his  wife, 
and  bought  his  two  children  at  the  price  of  §37  50.  In 
twelve  months  he  refunded  the  §100  which  his  friends  had 
advanced  for  him  ; and  in  the  course  of  21  years  has  not  only 
extinguished  all  the  above  debts,  but  has  acquired  property 
worth  several  thousand  dollars. 

The  influence  of  this  Society,  combined  with  other  means, 
has  produced  a great  effect  upon  the  coloured  people  of  New 
Brunswick.  In  none  of  our  towns  does  the  African  character 
stand  so  high.  Mr.  Huntington,  a man  of  an  excellent  spirit, 
is  setting  an  example  to  all  his  brethren  of  faithfulness  to  this 
neglected  people.  He  preaches  weekly  to  two  or  three  hun- 
dred of  them,  who  hang  upon  his  lips  and  look  up  to  him  as 
a father.  He  intends  soon  to  give  them,  in  a series  of  dis- 
courses, a familiar  exposition  of  the  Shorter  Catechism.  To 
see  tlicir  order,  their  union,  their  regular  and  decent  attend- 
ance in  th.e  house  of  God,  and  their  judicious  management 
ot  the  concerns  of  their  Association,  is  consoling  to  a mind 
that  waits  for  the  redemption  of  Africa. 


/ 


72 


MEMBERS  OF  THE  BOARD. 


MINISTERS. 

REV.  DR.  JAMES  RICHARDS, 

REV.  DR.  JOHN'  B.  ROMEVN, 

REV.  DR.  EDWARD  D.  GRIFFIN, 

REV  JOH>  M’DOWELL, 

REV.  GARDINER  SPRING 

REV.  LEVERETT  J.  F.  HUNTINGTON, 


LAYMEN. 

COL.  JOHN  NEILSON, 

COL  HIRA.M  SMITH 

JOSEPH  C.  HORNBLOWER,  ESQ. 

MR.  JOHN  E.  CALDWELL. 

MR  2ECHARIAH  LEWIS  , 

MR.  RENSSELAER  HAVENS. 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  BOARD. 


Dr.  Richards,  President. 

Dr.  Romeyn,  Vice-President. 


Dr.  Griffi\,  Secretary. 

Mr.  Hornblower,  Treasurer. 


STAA^DING  COMMITTEE. 


The  President, 
The  Secretary, 


The  Treasurer, 
Rev.  Mr.  M’dowell. 


The  Rev.  Dr.  Romeyn  is  appointed  to  preach  the  next 
annual  sermon,  and  in  case  of  his  failure,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Ri- 
chards. 


73 


POSTSCRIPT, 


The  sermon  has  been  so  long  delayed  in  the  press,  that  I 
have  an  opportunity  to  subjoin  a notice  of  the  African  Society  of 
Newark.  This  association  was  formed  on  the  23d  of  February 
1818.  Eighty-eight  names  were  recorded  the  first  evening, 
including  a few  whiclt  had  been  given  in  before.  The  follow- 
ing Constitution  was  then  adopted. 

I.  This  institution  shall  be  known  by  the  name  of  the  Afri- 
■can  Society  of  Newark. 

II.  The  sole  object  of  the  Society  shall  be  to  aid  the  funds 
of  the  African  School  established  by  the  Synod  of  New-York 
and  New-Jersey. 

III.  Every  free  person  of  colour  who  consents  to  have  his 
or  her  name  enrolled,  shall  be  a member  of  the  Society,  upon 
paying  fifty  cents  at  entrance,  and  the  same  sum  annually. 
Every  slave  who  brings  a written  permission  from  his  or  her 
master  or  mistress,  shall  be  a member,  upon  paying  twenty- five 
oents  at  entrance,  and  the  same  sum  annually.  If  any  mem- 
ber shall  neglect  to  pay  for  two  years  in  succession,  he  or 
she  shall  be  liable  to  be  struck  off" from  the  list  of  the  Society 
by  the  Standing  Committee,  and  to  be  considered  no  longer  a 
member. 

IV.  None  but  male  members  shall  vote  on  any  subject,  nor 
any  under  the  age  of  sixteen  ; and  none  shall  vote  for  officers 
till  they  have  paid  up  their  arrears. 

V.  The  officers  of  the  Society,  to  be  annually  chosen  by 
ballot  and  by  a general  ticket,  shall  be  a President,  a Vice- 
President,  a Secretary,  a Treasurer,  and  eight  Assistants  ; who- 
together  shall  constitute  the  Standing  Committee. 

The  President,  or  in  his  absence  the  Vice-President,  shall 
preside  at  the  annual  meetings,  preserve  order,  state  and  put 
questions,  silence  those  who  do  not  address  the  chair,  deter- 
mine who  shall  speak  first  when  two  rise  at  once,  keep  the 
speaker  to  the  subject,  allow  none  to  speak  sitting,  or  more 
than  twice  on  a motion  without  obtaining  special  leave  from 
the  chair,  prevent  every  thing  personal  or  indecorous  in  de- 
bate, reject  unconstitutional  motions,  (subject  however  to  an 
appeal  to  the  house, ) and  give  a eaetiug  voice  in  every  equal 


74 


division.  He,  or  in  his  absence  the  Vice-President,  shall  pre- 
side also  in  all  the  meetings  of  the  Standing  Committee. 

The  Secretary  shall  keep  a record  of  the  transactions  of  the 
Society,  first  taken  down  in  their  presence,  read  to  them,  and 
approved  by  them.  He  shall  prepare  and  submit  to  the  Com- 
mittee the  annual  report,  and  give  notice  of  the  time  and  place 
of  the  annual  meeting.  He  shall  also  record  in  a separate 
book  the  transactions  of  the  Standing  Committee,  first  taken 
down  in  their  presence,  read  to  them,  and  approved  by  them. 

The  Treasurer,  before  entering  on  his  office,  shall  give 
security  to  the  Standing  Committee  in  double  the  amount  of  the 
annual  rates.  He  shall  receive  all  monies,  cither  directly  from 
the  members,  or  through  the  medium  of  a Collector,  (in  which 
latter  case  he  shall  give  receipts,)  and  shall  pay  them  over 
immediately  to  the  Treasurer  of  the  African  School,  (taking 
his  receipts  therefor,)  except  when  he  receives  a written  or- 
der from  the  President  or  Vice-President,  authorized  hy  the 
Committee,  for  sums  to  cover  incidental  exjienses.  He  shall 
keep  a general  account  of  receipts  and  disbursements  and 
shall  open  a particular  account  of  debt  and  credit  with  every 
member  ; all  which,  with  his  vouchers,  he  shall  submit  to  the 
Society  at  every  annual  meeting,  and  to  the  Standing  Commit- 
tee as  often  as  they  require  it. 

The  Standing  Committee  shall  have  power  to  meet  at  the 
cal!  of  the  President  and  on  their  own  adjournments,  to  make 
their  own  bv'-laws,  and  to  fill  their  own  vacancies.  Five  shall 
constitute  a quorum.  They  shall  have  the  charge  of  obtain- 
ing new  members  by  going  from  house  to  house,  of  colleciing 
the  rates  of  the  members,  (for  which  purpose  they  may  ap- 
point a Collector,  but  not  allow  him  any  compensation,)  of  pro- 
curing books  for  the  records  of  the  Society  and  Committee, 
and  for  the  Treasurer’s  accounts,  and  of  printing  the  Constitu- 
tion and  their  own  by-laws  ; and  they  may  draw  on  the  Trea^ 
surer  for  sums  sufficient  to  cover  the  necessary  incidental  ex- 
penses, specifying  in  their  order  the  precise  object  of  the  ex- 
pense. They  shall  inspect  the  Treasurer’s  accounts  at  least 
once  a quarter,  and  as  much  oftener  as  they  think  proper  ; shall 
fix  and  publish  the  hour  and  place  of  the  annual  meeting,  ap- 
point the  orator,  invite  whom  they  please  to  open  and  close 
the  meeting  with  prayer,  and  do  every  thing,  not  contrary  to 
this  Constitution,  which  they  may  deem  necessary  to  promote 
the  designs  of  the  association. 

VI.  The  annual  meeting  of  the  Society  shall  be  held  in  the 
evening  of  the  second  Monday  in  April,  at  such  place  and 
hour  as  the  Standing  Committee,  by  notices  from  the  several 
■pulpits,  shall  appoint.  Ten  male  members  shall  constitute 


75 


a quorum.  The  meeting  shall  be  opened  with  prayer.  A 
committee  shall  then  be  appointed  to  examine  the  't  reasurer’s 
accounts  and  vouchers,  who  shall  report  at  the  same  mee*ing. 
The  Secretary  shall  next  read  the  report  of  the  Standing 
Committee,  detailing  the  number  of  members,  the  changes 
which  hav«  taken  place  in  that  number  in  the  course  of  the 
year,  the  amount  of  monies  received,  of  incidental  expenses, 
(specifying  the  objects,)  and  of  payments  made  to  the  treasu- 
ry of  the  African  School,  within  the  year,  and  generally  what 
the  Committee  have  done  since  the  last  report.  The  annual 
rates  of  those  members  who  have  not  already  paid  to  the  Collec- 
tor, shall  then  be  received.  The  Treasurer  shall  next  publicly 
read  the  names  of  tliose  who  have  not  paid,  both  male  and  fe- 
male ; and  the  males  on  that  list  shall  not  be  allowed  to  vote 
for  officers.  The  officers  for  the  year  shall  then  be  chosen. 
After  this  an  oration  shall  be  delivered  by  some  member  pre- 
viously appointed  by  the  Standing  Committee  ; and  the  meet- 
ing shall  be  concluded  with  prayer. 

Vll,  No  alteration  shall  be  made  in  this  Constitution  but  at 
the  suggestion  of  the  Standing  Committee,  and  by  the  vote  of 
two-thirds  of  the  male  members  present  at  an  annual  meeting. 

OFFICERS  FOR  THE  FIRST  YEAR. 


Adam  Ray,  President,  'Fhomas  Gummaugii,  Secretary, 

David  Ray,  Vice-President,  Peter  Petit,  Treasurer. 

ASSISTANTS. 


henry  cook, 

JOHN  O'FAKE, 
WILLIAM  DAY, 

SIMON  VAN  BLANKER, 


LEWIS  THOMPSON, 
POMPEY  VERNALL, 
BENJAMIN  FRELEN, 
ROBERT  M.  RICHARDSON. 


The  Standing  Committee  met  on  the  25th  of  February,  and 
adopted  the  following 

1.  The  t-ommittee  ivill  statedly  meet  on  the  first  Tuesday 
evening  in  every  month,  at  8 o’clock  after  the  first  of  April, 
and  at  7 o’clock  after  the  first  of  November. 

2.  The  meeting  shall  be  opened  and  closed  with  prayer 
whenever  a professor  of  religion  is  present. 

3.  Members  who  are  tardy  shall  assign  their  reasons.  The 
names  of  the  jiresent  and  absent  shall  be  recorded  as  such, 
and  absentees  shall  render  their  excuse  at  ihe  next  meeting. 

4.  At  the  opening  of  each  session  the  minutes  of  the  last' 


76 


meeting  shall  be  read,  to  bring  up  whatever  business  was  laid 
over  ; and  a docket  shall  be  made  of  the  subjects  which  re- 
' quire  attention. 

6.  All  business  shall  be  brought  before  the  Committee  by 
a regular  motion  made  and  seconded.  There  shall  be  no  dis- 
cussion without  a motion,  and  every  motion  must  be  seconded. 

6.  A motion  shall  be  reduced  to  writing  whenever  the  pre- 
siding officer  requires  it. 

7.  When  a motion  is  made  and  seconded,  it  must  be  disposed 
of  before  any  thing  else  is  done,  unless  an  amendment,  a post- 
ponement, or  an  adjournment  is  moved. 

8.  A motion  for  amendment  must  be  decided  before  the 
original  question  is  further  discussed.  When  it  is  carried, 
the  question  returns  on  the  article  as  thus  amended. 

9.  A motion  for  postponement  yields  to  nothing  but  a motion 
for  adjournment. 

10.  A motion  for  adjournment  arrests  all  other  business,  and 
must  be  decided  without  debate. 

11  No  person  shall  speak  more  than  twice  on  any  motion 
without  special  leave  from  the  chair. 

12.  The  officer  who  fills  that  seat  must  yield  it  to  another 
while  he  speaks,  or  take  no  part  in  the  discussion,  further  than 
to  state  the  point  at  issue,  and  keep  the  speakers  to  the  subject. 

13.  Every  question  shall  be  decided  byyeas  and  nays. 

14.  The  presiding  officer  has  only  a casting  vote. 

15.  When  a question  has  been  once  decided,  it  shall  not  be 
brought  up  again  at  the  same  meeting,  except  by  a motion  for 
re-consideration,  which  must  be  carried  by  two  thirds  of  the 
members  present.  And  such  a motion  shall  not  be  made  after 
any  one  who  voted  with  the  majority  has  retired. 

16.  No  person  shall  leave  the  meeting  without  permission 
from  the  chair. 

17.  These  by-laws,  together  with  the  Constitution,  shall 
be  read  before  the  Committee  at  least  once  a quarter. 


iVJt. 


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